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Human trafficking is a severe form of child abuse and maltreatment. Cases are pervasive and no demographic, socioeconomic status, community, or school is immune. The most effective response to human trafficking in school settings requires increased awareness and establishing policies, protocols, and procedures that support collaborative response to suspected human trafficking. School nurses are well equipped to lead these efforts. While the National Association of School Nurses acknowledges the importance of the role of the school nurse in child trafficking response in their Human Trafficking Position Statement, resources to aid school nurses in coordinated recognition and response efforts remain limited. This article reviews clinical guidance on human trafficking through a school-based lens, highlights indicators that should alert school nurses to the risk of trafficking, outlines best practices for response to abuse and exploitation, and provides additional tools and resources available to aid school nurses in their approach to caring for children experiencing trafficking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Human trafficking is a proliferating abuse within the United States in which persons who are victimized frequently interface with clinical environments across the care continuum with a variety of presentations for health needs. However, in the absence of uniform standards for evidence-based training among the health professions, recognition and response in these scenarios remains low. This case study presents a young adolescent female accessing primary care with a chief complaint of commercial sexual exploitation. The Core Competencies for Human Trafficking Response in Health Systems is used as a guiding lens for practical applications in clinical practice in provision of pediatric primary care. Health care providers in a direct service role should be prepared to respond with evidence-based, trauma-informed, culturally responsive procedures and protocols used within their scope of practice., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2025 American Association of Nurse Practitioners.)