Jan 7 (Wednesday) from 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm EST: Understanding Child Trafficking: A Bio-Psycho-Social Perspective • Selina Higgins, MA, MSW, LCSW-R, DBT-C, Executive Director, Office of Child Trafficking Prevention and Policy, NYC Administration for Children’s Services To understand trafficked children, you must first understand cognitive and social-emotional child development and the impact of trauma upon the developing psyche. This workshop will provide an extremely comprehensive view into the developmental etiology of child trafficking, beginning with cognitive development, infant attachment and behavioral learning influences. The attachment pattern developed between an infant and the primary caregiver can have extensive influence across the entire life cycle, as the deficits and resultant needs that develop through early attachment can unconsciously impact upon subsequent relational and safety choices. This workshop will demonstrate how cognitive and social-emotional developmental impacts can lead to juvenile trafficking vulnerability, and how traffickers fulfill the inherent emotional deficits to trauma bond with and exploit youth. The presentation will proceed to the impact of trauma, teen development, social learning, relational influences, media impact (advertisements, social media influencers, music videos) upon choices and decision making, recruitment techniques, exploiter dynamics, trauma bonding, gaslighting, the neuroscience of recidivism, red flags and language affiliated with the commercial sex industry. The workshop concludes with engagement and language tips for work with trafficked and traumatized youth. PowerPoint, video clips, and media cases will be utilized to facilitate learning. This proprietary workshop, updated every time it is presented, has been provided at multiple national and regional conferences. Register Here for Understanding Child Trafficking: A Bio-Psycho-Social Perspective