Labor Trafficking of Immigrant Children: Gaps in the Social Work Literature

Abstract While antitrafficking federal and state policies, service programs, and advocacy efforts have expanded significantly since the passage of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act in 2000, little is known about how social work research and practice engage with the distinct vulnerabilities of foreign-national minors subjected to labor trafficking. This scoping review examines existing social work scholarship on labor trafficking of immigrant children and youth. The authors’ findings suggest that while human service professionals play a critical role in identifying and supporting trafficked youth—often through schools, healthcare settings, and social service agencies—research remains disproportionately focused on sex trafficking. Although the 12 studies partially addressed child labor trafficking, their primary focus was on domestic child trafficking more generally, often using aggregated data that combined sex and labor trafficking survivors under the broader category of human trafficking. The authors highlight key gaps in research and propose directions for strengthening social work’s engagement with labor-trafficked immigrant youth, ensuring more informed and effective responses to their needs.