Engaging Victims of Child Sex Trafficking: Training for Child Welfare Workers.

This article focuses on evaluating a statewide training program for child welfare workers in Maryland designed to improve knowledge and self-efficacy in identifying and serving survivors of child sex trafficking (CST), defined as the commercial sexual exploitation of minors under 18. The training combined traditional lectures with an interactive, game-based component called Case by Case, which used realistic case studies to engage participants in trauma-informed, victim-centered approaches. Survey results from 1,061 mandatory trainees showed statistically significant increases in both CST-related knowledge and self-efficacy immediately following the training, with large and medium effect sizes respectively, even after controlling for demographic and professional variables. The study highlights the potential of gamification and experiential learning in professional development for child welfare workers, while noting limitations such as lack of long-term follow-up and the inability to isolate the game’s specific impact. These findings suggest that incorporating interactive, strengths-based training methods may enhance child welfare responses to CST and support policy efforts mandating such education.