Representatives from the Academy of Forensic Nursing and Walking Wise attended the National Association of School Nurses conference June 30 – July 3 in Orlando, Florida. The conference provided the ideal opportunity to reach school nurses and share information about AFN and its partner, Walking Wise, a provider of sex-trafficking prevention education.

“During the conference, we shared the Academy and forensic nursing practice with school nurses,” wrote AFN President Jennifer Johnson in her recent President’s Corner of the Academy News. “But, more importantly, we also explored how we can collectively work together for education, support, and further opportunities to assist the school nurse in identifying and responding to the school-age child being exposed to violence.”

Representatives at the AFN booth included Johnson, AFN School Nurse Special Interest Group Chair Jennifer Barrett, and Walking Wise Founder Karla Highman. At the center of discussions was how school nurses are uniquely positioned to detect and recognize the signs of sex trafficking in children, and how they can work to activate a coordinated response. The Walking Wise program is designed for that purpose, providing tools to assist with education and prevention of sex trafficking.

AFN and Walking Wise are working to create an online training series for school nurses. Go here to stay up to date on the release of this program. Additionally, an on-demand webinar on the AFN learning platform, Building an Anti-Sex Trafficking School Culture, provides an overview of the program.