Children's Society - Make Runaways Safe

Posted: 11/07/2011 [Updated: 26/08/2011]

Children are running away from home at a younger age, putting themselves at risk, a children’s charity says.

The Children’s Society says it is increasingly helping pre-teens who have run away at its centres around the UK.

It says 100,000 children run away from home or care every year and many sleep rough, abuse drink or drugs and face sexual exploitation.

The charity is calling on the government to put a national action plan in place.

Its chief executive, Bob Reitemeier, said: “Every child who runs away should run to safety. Society is failing young runaways, condemning tens of thousands of children to misery and danger by failing to provide an adequate safety net to break their fall.”

A study by the charity published in 2005 found that one in six young runaways ended up sleeping rough, one in eight begged or stole and one in 12 was hurt or harmed as a direct result of running away.

It says its centres have recently reported seeing younger and runaways – some as young as eight.

Source – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-14079670

For more information aboutthe campaign please visit – http://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/makerunawayssafe

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