In this webinar, experts will define and discuss what child labor exploitation looks like in the U.S. and the ways that schools can help address it.
Description
Since 2020, the U.S. Department of Education has conducted a webinar series to address child and youth trafficking in America’s schools. The series draws attention to the important efforts underway in our nation’s education community to address both sex and labor trafficking. Given the recent attention on the issue of child labor exploitation in the U.S., the series has been expanded to also include child exploitation.
On behalf of the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Safe and Supportive Schools and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE) invites you to join the latest webinar in this updated series, Understanding Child Labor Exploitation in the U.S. and How Schools Can Help Address It.
Date: Wednesday, November 15, 2023
Time: 3:00 – 4:30 pm EDT
Child labor exploitation is increasing nationwide; since 2018, the DOL has seen a 69% increase in children being employed illegally by companies. This led the DOL and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to announce new efforts to combat exploitative child labor practices earlier this year.
In this webinar, the DOL will define and discuss what child labor exploitation looks like in the United States and the ways that schools can help address it. Experts from the DOL will present data on the types of cases they are seeing, including young people working inherently dangerous jobs. Educators and school staff can be the first adults to be concerned about a youth being exploited in a work situation, so the webinar will highlight what roles schools have in identifying and intervening to get students out of dangerous situations. The webinar will also include a panel discussion to better understand the experiences of youth who have been exploited in a work environment and feature an expert with lived experience and experts working directly with youth in schools. We will end the webinar with a live Q&A where we will respond to your questions related to child labor exploitation and how schools can play a role in addressing it.
Speakers
· Ashley Allen Feliciano, Assistant District Director, Southeast Regional Initiative Team Lead for Child Labor, U.S. Department of Labor
· Bridget Dutton, Program Specialist, Wage and Hour Division, U.S. Department of Labor
· Norma Flores Lopez, Chair, Child Labor Coalition’s Domestic Issues Committee, Lived Experience Expert
· Jessica Looman, Administrator, Wage and Hour Division, U.S. Department of Labor
· Mark Whitlock, Chief Executive Officer, Central Educational Center (CEC), GA
Registration
To register for this webinar, go here. Please note this webinar will be archived on its event webpage here, including a recording of the presentation, slides, transcript, speaker information, and related resources.