In our first book, The Story of Foster Care vol. 1, we invited people into the intricate world of foster care as told by former foster youth, foster parents, and caseworkers. In this sequel book, we will be hearing from individuals who experienced both foster care and human trafficking, individuals who work at the organizations supporting their healthy exit from trafficking, and from child welfare professionals who saw the connections in their work.

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By generous estimates, only 6% of children in the United States will ever enter into the formal foster care system.

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However, according to government statistics, 50-80% of minors recovered from human trafficking have been involved with child welfare.

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In a national survey of survivors, conducted by Polaris, it was found that 34% of survivors surveyed had been involved with child welfare at some point in their childhood, with an additional 22% of survivors reporting that they felt child welfare should have been involved.

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In our efforts to simplify, we create a lot of misconceptions about the connection of the foster care system to the world human trafficking. The two realms are inextricably connected,

but in ways often misunderstood.

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A child may have experiences with human trafficking before they ever enter care. Their first experience may happen while under the care of the state. The connection may occur as they are

transitioning out of care.

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The narratives contained in The Story of Foster Care, Volume 2 look to highlight the dynamics of the intersection of the foster care system and the realm of human trafficking from the perspectives of those with lived experience. Contributors include former foster youth who are also survivors, child welfare professionals,

and anti-trafficking service providers.

It is not as we perceive it to be.