More than 3,000 foster children go missing from care

The fourth annual set of Ofsted figures on the fostering system show that there were 9,480 reported incidents of children in foster care going missing, involving a total of 3,151 children during the 12-month period until March 2012.

This represents a 19 per cent increase in reported incidents and an 18 per cent rise in the number of children compared to the same period in 2010/11.

More than half of the children went missing for less than 24 hours, 34 per cent went missing for between one and six days, and nine per cent went missing for one week to 28 days.

In total 126 children went missing for longer than 28 days over the course of the year. On 31 March 2012 there were 46 foster children still missing from care.

Overall, 75,605 children were in foster care last year in a total of 40,842 fostering households. Of these, 34,846 foster children and young people were of compulsory school age on 31 March 2012.

The number of looked-after children forced to move schools because of a change in their foster care placement rose six per cent last year to 1,820.

Meanwhile, 316 children and young people in foster care had no educational arrangements at some point in the year and 1,556 were reported as being persistently absent from school during the year.

John Goldup, deputy chief inspector for Ofsted, described the increase in the number of times children in foster care go missing as “worrying”.
 
“Early next year we will be publishing a report on children who go missing from home and from care which examines this issue in depth,” he said.

He added that the “small number of children” in foster care who had no educational arrangements in place at some point during last year is also a “concern”.

“If we are to help children in care achieve a better future we must ensure that they get regular and consistent education,” he said.

David Simmonds, chair of the Local Government Association’s children and young people board, said councils are “passionate about helping children and take their responsibilities towards those in their care extremely seriously”.

“A child missing from care is a concern for everyone involved in the protection of vulnerable children,” he said. “Councils want to see more joined-up working with the police, the heath service, independent care homes and other agencies to start tackling this more effectively.

“It’s also right that government is working with those organisations tasked with protecting children to look at practical ways to improve the system and keep young people safe.”