Challenges in assistance provision to child victims of transnational trafficking in South Africa

Child trafficking is a violation of multiple human rights and a child protection challenge in South Africa and worldwide. Thus, assistance provision can be a protective factor in the emotional and the psychosocial well-being of trafficked child victims. Stakeholders (including social workers) working in the field of trafficking were studied qualitatively to understand the nexus between child trafficking and service provision. The challenges the participants had encountered within assistance provision were explored through in-depth interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. The findings from the study indicate that assistance provision is not an easy linear process and that multinational, multi-agency, long-term sustained response, with multi-focus on prevention, prosecution and protection (including rehabilitation) is required to enhance successful resettlement and adaptation. This response should be based on the rights of the child rather than based on law enforcement and immigration.