05/09/2026
May is Foster Care Awareness Month đź’™
This month, we honor the children and teens in foster care, the families who open their homes, and the advocates working to protect vulnerable youth. But we also have to talk about a heartbreaking reality many people don’t realize:
Children in foster care are at a significantly higher risk of becoming victims of human trafficking.
📊 Studies show:
• About 60% of child s*x trafficking victims recovered in FBI operations had histories in foster care or group homes.
• An estimated 50–70% of commercially s*xually exploited children have had involvement with the child welfare system.
Why are foster youth at greater risk?
Because many have experienced:
▪️ Frequent placement changes
▪️ Histories of abuse or neglect
▪️ Lack of stable adult support
▪️ Homelessness after aging out
▪️ Running away from placements
▪️ Emotional vulnerability and unmet basic needs
These children are not statistics. They are sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, and precious lives deserving of safety, stability, and love.