What training can service providers get about human trafficking?
To schedule a training program, please email DCFHART@ct.gov.
HART offers several human trafficking trainings. We update them every year. The classes are for the following groups:
- DCF staff
- foster parents
- service providers
- schools
- law enforcement
- hospital and medical staff
- hospitality industry
- other professionals, youth, and the community.
All Child Protective Services staff are required to have annual basic training on human trafficking. Participants can take advanced training instead of the basic one. All incoming Child Protective Services staff should be trained within their first six months of hire.
For providers and communities
Introduction to Child Trafficking in Connecticut
This course helps people understand human trafficking better. They learn how to spot child trafficking victims and get tips on how to respond and help. Also, the class will review human trafficking terms and state and federal laws. The course will talk about how people become victims. It will also describe warning signs, impacts, and buyers/exploiters. The training is 2.5 hours. It uses videos and PowerPoint.
CEUs are available.
Introduction to Child Trafficking in Connecticut for School Settings
This class is for everyone who works in schools. It focuses on how children are trafficked for sex and labor. Participants will learn trafficking definitions. They'll get an overview of federal and state laws that protect children. Participants will learn warning signs that a child is being groomed or is already a victim and how to talk to these children. It walks through the steps to report these concerns. Perhaps most importantly, the training will discuss how participants and schools can stop children from becoming victims.
The training is 2 hours. The materials used are videos and PowerPoint. There is also an e-learning module that meets the state training requirement.
CEUs are available.
Introduction to Human Trafficking in Connecticut for Law Enforcement - Police Officer's Standards and Training (POST) Certified
Participants will learn human trafficking definitions. They'll also learn about human trafficking federal and state laws. They'll look into how often CT child sex and labor trafficking happens. They will also find out how people become victims. They'll recognize warning signs, learn the impact, and spot buyers and exploiters. The training lasts for 2.5 hours. It features videos and a PowerPoint. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available.
Introduction to Human Trafficking in Connecticut for Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
This training is for EMS personnel, including paramedics, EMTs, and first responders. It’s like the other classes. It also teaches participants how to spot human trafficking during community emergency responses. The training lasts two hours. It includes videos and PowerPoint. Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits are available.
Child Trafficking Training for Medical Providers/Emergency Medicine
This curriculum is like the others but for emergency medical services professionals. These roles include doctors, nurses, and social workers. The course gives medical information and resources. It helps healthcare providers spot human trafficking victims. It also teaches them to give important medical services and support. Training is in both a 1-hour format and a more comprehensive 2-hour version. The materials consist of videos and PowerPoint presentations featuring brief case activities.
Introduction to Human Trafficking in Connecticut for Hotels, Motels, and Lodging
This curriculum is like the ones mentioned earlier. This one is for hotels, motels, and lodging businesses. It includes information and resources. That way, employees can spot victims staying or working at these locations. This training lasts 1.5 hours. It uses videos and PowerPoint.
Child Trafficking of Boys
This lesson describes how boys are victimized. Participants learn how to recognize unique warning signs, spot likely victims, and talk with them. It explores the impact on boys (which are often misunderstood), how society responds to male victims, and the barriers boys face getting support and services. The training lasts 2.5 hours. Materials include videos and PowerPoints.
This curriculum is currently being revised.
Trafficking of LGBQ/GNCT Children
This training program explores the vulnerabilities of LGBQ/GNCT children and the impact of family and societal responses. Participants learn how to recognize unique warning signs, spot likely victims, and talk with them. The training lasts 2 hours. Materials include videos and PowerPoints.
This curriculum is currently being revised.
Introduction to Labor Trafficking in Connecticut
This course is for all service providers. It helps you to understand labor trafficking. It talks about how labor trafficking happens in the world, U.S., and CT. It reviews federal and state laws. It discusses how people become victims and explains the warning signs. Finally, the course talks about how labor trafficking impacts victims. It also describes the buyers and exploiters. The training lasts 2 hours. It uses videos and PowerPoints.
This curriculum is currently being revised.
Introduction to Labor Trafficking in Connecticut for Law Enforcement (POST Certified)
This curriculum is like the one above. It is for municipal and local police officers. It covers investigation methods and resources. This training is 2 hours. It uses videos and PowerPoints.
Child Trafficking: What It Is, How to Recognize It, and How to Respond
This two-day training program is taught at the Department of Children and Families (DCF) Academy for Workforce Development. Participants must attend both days. Both days have a full-day program (6 hours). They use lectures, videos, and activities. CEUs are available.
NOTE: Day 1 and Day 2 must be taken together.
Day 1:
This course helps you to understand the complex issue of child trafficking. It also teaches you how to respond in a thoughtful and collaborative way. It reviews how DCF, law enforcement, providers, and others work together. The course examines how often child trafficking happens in Connecticut. It explains national and state laws around this work. Participants learn how to handle a child trafficking case. They discuss specific information about boys and LGBTQ+ youth.
Day 2:
The second day focuses on how to work with youth and caregivers. The curriculum also highlights case planning for youth and families. Participants will learn about services that help victims and high-risk youth. The course will finish with an expert panel.
For foster parents
Fostering in the best and most challenging time: Supporting foster parents in caring for high-risk children and child victims of commercial sexual exploitation.
This three-day training program is for foster parents. It has five focused lessons:
- Introduction to child trafficking in Connecticut
- Caring for high-risk youth and child victims of sex trafficking
- Understanding girls: a trauma-informed perspective
- Child trafficking of boys
- Trafficking of LGBQ/GNCT children
Participants must finish the course to get a certificate. This is an interactive program with various activities, videos, and PowerPoint.
For youth
Youth Awareness on Child Trafficking
This course gives a 45- to 60-minute awareness presentation. It teaches people 12 to 18 about child trafficking.
The program explains factors that can put children and youth at risk. It points out warning signs and tells you what to do if you think you or someone else might be a victim. Youth across the state reviewed the curriculum to make sure the training is helpful and relevant.
Child Trafficking Prevention Curriculum (various age groups)
Under development.
Internet Safety for Children (various age groups)
Under development.
My Life My Choice – Prevention Curriculum
The curriculum is available on the mylifemychoce.org website. It was developed by the Justice Resource Institute.
This program comprises ten 75-minute sessions. It addresses the experience of exploitation in a female body, ages 12-18 years. The curriculum is designed for cisgender and transgender girls as well as trans boys who experienced exploitation while identifying as female. Each session includes a variety of activities such as icebreakers, discussions, role plays, and hands-on activities, as well as more introspective opportunities including journaling. Sessions address issues including myths and facts about commercial sexual exploitation, how to identify a pimp, recruitment tactics, substance abuse, self-esteem, sexual health, healthy relationships, and local and national resources to support youth at risk of exploitation. This curriculum can be conducted in person or through a web-based interactive platform.
Youth Prevention - Not a #Number
The curriculum is provided by Love146. View this PDF to learn more.
The five-part curriculum is interactive. It teaches youths to protect themselves from human trafficking and exploitation. Participants learn key information and develop skills to protect themselves.
The course offers a thorough view of the issue. It stresses respect, kindness, and strength. It talks about how personal and societal pressures can create or increase risks. The class uses open conversations, engaging activities, media, and other techniques to help participants go from awareness to behavioral change.