A transition without support: how young people leaving care face the risk of exploitation

The transition to independent life is challenging for every young person. It usually happens gradually, with support from family, time to make mistakes, and the opportunity to learn along the way. For some young people in Bulgaria, however, this transition begins abruptly and without a safety net.

Each year, around 200 young people leave alternative care, such as family-type accommodation centres or foster care. For many of them, this has been the only environment in which they have grown up. At the moment they reach adulthood, the support they relied on is suddenly reduced or disappears.

As a result, the transition to independent life begins under pressure. They need to find a job, secure income and housing, often without a supportive environment, without savings, and without someone to turn to.

In this context, the risk of exploitation does not appear suddenly. It builds over time. The fourth GRETA report on Bulgaria identifies children and young people in alternative care as a specific vulnerable group, especially during the transition to independent life. At the same time, forms of exploitation are expanding, from sexual and labour exploitation to criminal exploitation, while recruitment methods are becoming increasingly difficult to recognize.

Despite this, young people leaving care are rarely treated as a distinct risk group in prevention and support measures. They often find themselves alone at the most critical stage of their lives and begin their independent path with accumulated vulnerabilities, economic, social, and emotional.

Preparation for leaving care exists as a requirement, but it often remains formal. After that, support is limited, short-term, or completely absent.

Economic insecurity is often combined with emotional factors. Many of these young people have experienced loss, frequent changes of environment, and a lack of stable relationships with adults. This creates a strong need for belonging and acceptance, something that can easily be exploited.

In most cases, human trafficking does not begin with violence. It begins with trust, with help, with a relationship, with someone who appears supportive. Gradually, this “support” can turn into dependency and control.

This is often how exploitation begins. In such moments, quick solutions start to seem like the only option, such as informal work, offers from acquaintances, opportunities to go abroad, or promises of a better life.

All of this shows that the risk of trafficking is not the result of a single decision or a “wrong choice.” It is the result of accumulation, of lack of support, limited opportunities, and the need to survive in an insecure environment.

What can be done

If we want to reduce the risk of trafficking, we need to rethink how we approach prevention. It should be understood as a process that starts early and continues after leaving care.

Prevention should begin before young people leave care. This includes targeted work on topics that are often overlooked, such as recognizing risky job offers, understanding labour rights, finding legal employment, and making informed decisions, including when considering migration. These skills are a key form of protection against exploitation.

Support should not stop at the age of 18. The most critical period is immediately after leaving care, when young people face urgent and real needs such as housing, income, and navigating systems. In the absence of support, they are more likely to turn to quick solutions. Sustainable forms of support are needed, including access to housing, mentoring, and social and psychological services during the first months and years after leaving care.

Better coordination between systems is also needed. Currently, support is often fragmented. Social services, child protection, and anti-trafficking mechanisms operate in parallel but not always in coordination. Improved information sharing, joint training, and coordinated action can support earlier risk identification and more effective responses.

Prevention should also be integrated into individual support plans. The risk of exploitation and trafficking is rarely addressed systematically at this level, yet this is where tailored and meaningful work can take place.

An empowering approach is essential. Young people should not be seen only as vulnerable, but as individuals capable of making decisions when they have access to information and support. Mentoring, practical skills, and confidence building can reduce dependence on informal and potentially harmful sources of support.

Our responce

In response to this issue, Dignita Foundation works to prevent the risk of human trafficking among young people leaving alternative care. With the support of the Bulgarian Fund for Women, in 2025 we conducted a pilot training in Sofia, bringing together directors, social workers, and psychologists from family-type accommodation centres, community support centres, and a crisis centre for child victims of trafficking.

Prevention starts with the people who have direct contact with young people. It is essential that they can recognize early signs of risk, communicate effectively about exploitation, and work on topics such as labour rights, risky migration, and safe job searching.

We therefore focus our efforts both on professionals in the system and on future specialists. We launched a mentoring programme for second-year students in Social Pedagogy at Sofia University, aiming to build knowledge, skills, and sensitivity to the issue early in their professional development.

At the same time, we work to increase the visibility of the problem by producing analyses and highlighting the gap between the care system and real independent life, where many young people remain without sufficient support.

This project is implemented with the financial support of Bulgarian Fund for Women. The project does not reflect the opinion of BFW and BFW is not responsible for it.