Human Trafficking and Child Welfare Services

1. Human Trafficking and Child Welfare Services Project NO REST June 12, 2019

2. Federal Legislation • The need for NCDSS to address human trafficking is due to a number of legislative changes at the federal and state level. • September 2014, PL 113-183, the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act. • May 2015, PL 114-22, the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act,

3. North Carolina Legislation • The General Assembly enacted two laws in mid-2018 that changed the definition of child maltreatment in North Carolina and gave NCDSS responsibility for investigating and assessing reports of the sex and labor trafficking of minors. • Session Law 2018-68 defines any child under age 18 who is found to be a minor victim of human trafficking to be a neglected juvenile. • Session Law 2018-75 requires that minor victims of sex or labor trafficking to be classified as abused juveniles, “regardless of the relationship between the victim and the perpetrator.”

4. Scope of Work • The purpose of this project is to assist the NC Division of Social Services (NCDSS) in developing a response to human trafficking. • Project team will develop a curriculum for directors, program administrators, supervisors, and social workers in county departments of social services on the identification of children and youth who have been trafficked, the types of services they need, and how to deliver those services in a trauma informed, client centered way.

5. Scope of Work • Process begins with the development of a training session that is designed to provide an orientation to Human Trafficking. • Human Trafficking in North Carolina • Risk Factors for Children Who Are Trafficked • Identifying Potential Human Trafficking Survivors • Child Welfare and Human Trafficking

6. Scope of Work • The curriculum development process will begin with a review of current DSS policy for handling human trafficking cases.

7. Scope of Work • Curricula will be developed for the functional areas of CPS Assessments, In-Home and Permanency Services. • The curriculum development will include how to conduct a trauma informed interview as well as how to engage youth who may have been trafficked even though the youth doesn’t believe he or she has done anything that puts him or her at risk.

8. Scope of Work • The curriculum development for in-home services will address the delivery of services to children who have been trafficked and who remain in their home. • The curriculum for permanency workers also will address approaches on how to protect children who are in foster care from being trafficked. • The curriculum development process will identify components of practice that permanency social workers need in order to serve children who have been trafficked as well as protocols that these workers should follow for all children in out-of-home care to identify those at risk of being trafficked.

9. Scope of Work • The curriculum development process will address training needs for licensing workers who are screening potential resource and foster parents. • The curriculum development process will address the training needs of resource parents who take care of children who have been trafficked as well as ways the resource parents can identify whether the child is being drawn into a trafficking situation.

10. Scope of Work • A series of simulations will be developed. These simulations will provide examples of assessments or interviews with youth who have been or there is concern that the youth may have been trafficked. • The curriculum development process will include the development of modules that will be incorporated into existing required trainings for child welfare workers.

11. Curriculum Delivery • The curriculum development will include the delivery of introductory trainings for directors, program managers, and supervisors. These trainings will be offered as part of planned regional or statewide meetings. • In-person trainings for assessment, in-home, and permanency workers will be delivered in several ways. Multiple sessions will be offered in larger DSS agencies. Other sessions will also be offered to clusters of counties. • Training sessions will be digitally recorded. The recorded version will be posted to the state’s training website.

12. Next Steps • Help us ensure we are developing curriculum that is responsive to your needs • Respond to outreach from PNR team. • Share information on human trafficking cases in your agency. • Share your questions.