Young runaways finally get the help they need
16 June 2008
Former young runaways are going to Downing Street today (16 June) to hear the Government announce its plans to help young runaways. 100,000 young people under 16 run away from home or care in the UK of which 86,000 run away in England
Kevin Brennan, Minister for Children, will set forward vital measures which will help to protect and support runaways under 18, including those who are victims of sexual exploitation and trafficking.
The Young Runaways Action Plan was developed by a cross-government working group, using evidence gathered by The Children’s Society during a nine-month consultation.(1) It includes the following actions:
- Assessments and support for each young runaway
- Review and development of emergency accommodation provision, to ensure young runaways have somewhere safe to stay.
- A new indicator on young runaways within the National Indicator Set (NIS), so that local authorities put appropriate services in place based on local need
- Guidance relating to particularly vulnerable groups of missing children, including making links to victims of sexual exploitation and trafficking
- New resources to educate young people about the dangers of running and encourage them to seek support rather than run away
The Children’s Society also today announces £250,000 of vital funding from Comic Relief, which will help to fund two new projects in Coventry and Keighley supporting young people already running or at risk of running away.
Bob Reitemeier, chief executive at The Children’s Society said; “We have campaigned for two decades for this and know how urgently it is needed. In 2007, only 12 per cent of local agencies said they had services in place for young runaways, leaving far too many children at risk of abuse and exploitation. We hope every child now gets the help they need.
“We are extremely grateful to Comic Relief for their generous funding, enabling The Children’s Society to provide intensive support to young runaways in Coventry and Keighley”.
Kevin Cahill, CEO of Comic Relief, says: “Comic Relief has been supporting The Children’s Society’s work for a number of years and we are very proud to have funded the new projects in Coventry and Keighley. The Children’s Society has proved that providing help and assistance to young people when they are most vulnerable is vital in keeping them safe.”
Helen Southworth, MP for Warrington South and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Runaway and Missing Children has led the campaign within Westminster for improved support and services for young runaways. Helen said: “I am very pleased the Government is taking such positive steps to help children and young people who go missing. These children are very vulnerable, and some have terrible experiences to deal with, and are hurt very badly. We now have a good action plan, and we will be watching carefully to make sure children actually get the help they need from police and local children’s services.”
Since 2006 a coalition of charities (2) have united to campaign for support for young runaways. Andy McCullough, Chair of the English Coalition for Runaway Children, said: “These plans are the culmination of a lot of hard work between all of the key players. It is incredibly positive and proof that the government is serious about protecting this vulnerable group of children. However we will need to deliver on this action plan if we are to ensure a safe future for children who feel they have no other choice but to run away.”
The facts:
- 1 in 6 young runaways sleep rough (2)
- 1 in 12 young runaways are hurt or harmed while they are away (3)
- Currently there are just nine refuge beds for young runaways in England
- 100,000 young people under 16 run away from home or care in the UK of which 86,000 run away in England. (4)
- Ninety per cent of children subjected to sexual grooming go missing. (5)
- Two thirds of young people who run away are not reported to the police by their parents or guardians (6)
- Most of the 100,000 children who run away from home or care every year are fleeing family conflict, neglect and abuse, with girls aged 14 -15 the group most likely to run. Once these children run away they are often forced to sleep rough or with strangers and are at greater risk of sexual exploitation, violence and drug taking. (7)
Interview requests and more information for The Children’s Society including case studies of young runaways: Samantha Shaw, Tel: 020 7841 4422/07810 796 508
Interview requests and more information for Department for Children, Schools and Families: Jackie Stevenson Tel: 020 7925 5893 / 07785 710925 Email: Jackie.Stevenson@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
The announcement will be made at Downing Street, Westminster, between 1.30pm and 3pm on Monday 16th June. For further information and to arrange interviews, please contact Samantha Shaw at The Children’s Society on sxs@childsoc.org.uk 07810 796 508
Coalition members include: The Children's Society, Missing People, Barnardos, Get Connected, NSPCC, NCH, Railway Children, Rerun, Safe @Last, St Christopher’s Fellowship, The London Refuge, Talk Don’t Walk, Healthy Relationships, Runaways, Community Support Team, Street Work, CROP, Crouch Valley Nightstop, Base 51, Aberlour Childcare Trust and Astra.
The Children's Society is driven by the belief that every child deserves a good childhood. It provides vital help and understanding for those forgotten children who face the greatest danger, discrimination or disadvantage; children who are unable to find the support they need anywhere else. Visit www.childrenssociety.org.uk http://www.childrenssociety.org.uk
(1) The Children’s Society review of services for young runaways, Stepping Up (2007) is available for download from www.childrenssociety.org.uk/policy.
(2) Still Running
(3) Ibid
(4) Still Running
(5) National Runaways Action Plan
(6) Still Running II
(7) Ibid
