The Role of the Pediatric Healthcare System in Preventing, Identifying, and Responding to Child Trafficking

Abstract

This chapter aims to describe the role of the pediatric healthcare system in the prevention and identification of children and youth who are trafficked, and what the pediatric healthcare response should entail. To help providers understand the relevance of this work, the authors provide a detailed context for trafficking in children, specifically with regards to risk factors, special populations, vulnerabilities, and healthcare interactions, and then delve into an exploration of the evidence base describing pediatric health care provider knowledge, studied interventions, screening tools and strategies, and the pediatric provider response. Summary tables and case vignettes are included to provide the reader with helpful quick references.