The letter to Suella Braverman, from Dame Rachel de Souza, comes following reports that dozens of under-18s have “vanished” from a Sussex hotel after being “literally picked up from outside the building” by traffickers.
More than half the 136 children reported missing from the hotel in Brighton over the past 18 months remain unaccounted for, according to an investigation by The Observer.
In her letter to Braverman, de Souza says the report “highlighted, once again, the vulnerability of these children, who are in limbo, with a concerted group of people determined to exploit them”.
She added: “We cannot expect children who have faced the worst trauma to be left to look after themselves as independents – they should be given the care and protection of the state from day one, until they turn 18. The long-term solution to this issue is an increase in high quality placements for all children in care, so that the waiting period in hotels is limited, and eventually eliminated.”
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
