IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jscscx/v13y2024i12p660-d1537425.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Examining the Intersections of Family Risk, Foster Care, and Outcomes for Commercially Sexually Exploited Children

Author

Listed:
  • Courtney Furlong

    (Department of Human Development and Family Science, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA)

  • James Benjamin Hinnant

    (Department of Human Development and Family Science, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA)

Abstract

Purpose: When individuals under the age of 18 are victimized by sex trafficking, it is termed commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) in the United States. It is suggested that a history of engagement with the foster care system is one of the leading risk factors for CSEC. However, it is possible that it is the very factors that facilitate engagement with the foster care system (e.g., neglect, abuse, etc.) that establish vulnerability for CSEC victimization rather than the foster care system itself and that the foster care system serves a protective role for such victims. The purpose of this investigation is to examine the relationship between risk factors within the family of origin, foster care experiences, and outcomes for CSEC victims. Methods: Between 2014 and 2023, data were collected on minor victims of CSEC ( n = 884) via the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths Assessment for Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CANS-CSE). Investigators conducted regression analyses to examine the relationship between family risk and foster care engagement (Aim 1). Foster care engagement (Aim 2) and number of foster care placements (Aim 3) are tested as moderators of associations between family risk factors and outcomes for youth. Results: Family risk is significantly associated with negative outcomes. Foster care placement and number of foster care placements do not moderate the link between family risk factors and negative outcomes for victims of CSEC. Conclusions: Results suggest that foster care does not protect against risks associated with families of origin and negative outcomes, a finding that may be unique for CSEC victims. Therefore, specialized, trauma-informed services should be implemented with CSEC victims who are engaged in the foster care system. In doing so, foster care could begin to serve a protective role in supporting young victims of CSEC and producing more positive outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Courtney Furlong & James Benjamin Hinnant, 2024. "Examining the Intersections of Family Risk, Foster Care, and Outcomes for Commercially Sexually Exploited Children," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:13:y:2024:i:12:p:660-:d:1537425
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/13/12/660/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/13/12/660/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Leathers, Sonya J., 2005. "Separation from siblings: Associations with placement adaptation and outcomes among adolescents in long-term foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(7), pages 793-819, July.
    2. Rana Karam & Marie Robert, 2013. "Understanding runaway behaviour in group homes: What are runaways trying to tell us?," Journal of Community Positive Practices, Catalactica NGO, issue 2, pages 69-79.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Unrau, Yvonne A., 2007. "Research on placement moves: Seeking the perspective of foster children," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 122-137, January.
    2. Berzin, Stephanie Cosner, 2006. "Using sibling data to understand the impact of family group decision-making on child welfare outcomes," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(12), pages 1449-1458, December.
    3. Davidson-Arad, Bilha & Klein, Adva, 2011. "Comparative well being of Israeli youngsters in residential care with and without siblings," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(11), pages 2152-2159.
    4. Katz, Carmit & Tener, Dafna & Hindi, Inbal, 2021. "“We took turns”: How do child victims of intrafamilial child sexual abuse perceive and experience their siblings?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    5. James, Sigrid & Monn, Amy R. & Palinkas, Lawrence A. & Leslie, Laurel K., 2008. "Maintaining sibling relationships for children in foster and adoptive placements," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 90-106, January.
    6. Waid, Jeffrey & Kothari, Brianne H. & Bank, Lew & McBeath, Bowen, 2016. "Foster care placement change: The role of family dynamics and household composition," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 44-50.
    7. Jones, Christine & Henderson, Gillian & Woods, Ruth, 2019. "Relative strangers: Sibling estrangements experienced by children in out-of-home care and moving towards permanence," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 226-235.
    8. Akin, Becci A., 2011. "Predictors of foster care exits to permanency: A competing risks analysis of reunification, guardianship, and adoption," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 999-1011, June.
    9. Font, Sarah A. & Sattler, Kierra M.P. & Gershoff, Elizabeth T., 2018. "Measurement and correlates of foster care placement moves," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 248-258.
    10. Latzman, Natasha E. & Gibbs, Deborah A. & Feinberg, Rose & Kluckman, Marianne N. & Aboul-Hosn, Sue, 2019. "Human trafficking victimization among youth who run away from foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 113-124.
    11. McCarthy, Lauren Pryce & Lee, Bethany R. & Schagrin, Judith & Loysen, Susan, 2020. "“Knowing that I wasn’t alone”: An evaluation of a therapeutic camp reunifying siblings in foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    12. Zinn, Andrew & Cusick, Gretchen, 2014. "Juvenile court pathways to legal permanence for children in substitute care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 90-100.
    13. Wojciak, Armeda Stevenson & McWey, Lenore M. & Helfrich, Christine M., 2013. "Sibling relationships and internalizing symptoms of youth in foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(7), pages 1071-1077.
    14. Herbster, Julia M. & Ocasio, Kerrie, 2021. "The complex relationship between sibling contact and child and family well-being in foster care: An exploration of child and family functioning in a pre-permanency cohort," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    15. Webster, Daniel & Shlonsky, Aron & Shaw, Terry & Brookhart, M. Alan, 2005. "The ties that bind II: Reunification for siblings in out-of-home care using a statistical technique for examining non-independent observations," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(7), pages 765-782, July.
    16. DiGiovanni, Anna & Font, Sarah A., 2021. "Revisiting conventional wisdom: What do we know from 30 years of research on sibling placement in foster care?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    17. Konijn, Carolien & Admiraal, Sabine & Baart, Josefiene & van Rooij, Floor & Stams, Geert-Jan & Colonnesi, Cristina & Lindauer, Ramón & Assink, Mark, 2019. "Foster care placement instability: A meta-analytic review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 483-499.
    18. Wojciak, Armeda Stevenson & McWey, Lenore M. & Waid, Jeffery, 2018. "Sibling relationships of youth in foster care: A predictor of resilience," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 247-254.
    19. Sattler, Leslie J. & Thomas, Kristie A., 2016. "“Parents need a village”: Caseworkers' perceptions of the challenges faced by single parents of system-involved youth," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 293-301.
    20. Waid, Jeffrey & Wojciak, Armeda Stevenson, 2019. "Evaluating the impact of camp-based reunification on the resilience of siblings separated by foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 274-282.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:13:y:2024:i:12:p:660-:d:1537425. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.