Virtual Formative Research With Youth Who Have Experienced Trafficking For Training Development,  Interview Guides, And Lessons Learned

Massachusetts’ virtual formative research materials were created to inform trainings and resources for caregivers and child welfare workers to strengthen home-based placements for child and youth victims. Northeastern University (research and evaluation partner on the Improving Outcomes team) conducted a series of interviews and some focus groups with youth who had exploitation victimization histories and experience being housed in foster care, foster parents who had experience housing youth with child sexual exploitation victimization experiences, and child welfare workers who both support foster parents and oversee the care of youth. The materials include focus group guides for this formative research. They also include reflections on using Zoom to conduct focus groups with youth who have experienced trafficking. Restrictions from the institutional review board mean that the findings from this research cannot be included in this compendium.