Intervention Effectiveness

Interventions of interest include those related to modern slavery policies and programs that seek to prevent modern slavery, reduce the incidence or prevalence of modern slavery, or provide rehabilitative or reintegrative services to victims of modern slavery (including social, legal, medical, psychotherapeutic, social protection, and economic services). Modern slavery may include human trafficking for the purpose of labor and/or sexual exploitation; forced, bonded, and child labor; child marriage; and debt bondage.

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Effectiveness of Preventative Programs

We are examining whether and how preventative interventions for modern slavery are effective. These include awareness- and knowledge-building interventions and programs that target and aim to mitigate or reduce risk factors (such as community-based associations and economic interventions).

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Technical Assistance for Modern Slavery Practitioners

We aim to provide evidence-based technical assistance to practitioners who work in child protection, prevention of modern slavery, rehabilitation of victims, and the provision of alternative long-term care for children. This includes developing and implementing innovative solutions to the everyday needs of practitioners in the implementation of their work. Resources include screening tools, shelter intake procedures, trainings, curricula, program statements, behavioural health tools, and tools for monitoring and evaluation. Researchers will contribute towards a groundbreaking project that will not only synthesize existing evidence, but also fill a gap in the resources that practitioners in this field need on a day-to-day basis.

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Institutional Care of Orphaned Children

Today, studies continue to affirm that orphanage care is an unsatisfactory option for young children who cannot remain with their own families. Child welfare researchers and professionals have observed that residential treatment or group care of foster children is best used sparingly for children with serious problems, preferably for time-limited periods. Studies note that group care placement criteria remain ill-defined and inconsistently applied. The questions, “How long?” and “What type of treatment for whom?” have yet to be answered. Future group care research should use standardised measures, large comparison groups, and statistical analysis. Treatment variables and their effect on residents with different conditions and needs should be isolated and followed over time.