About two years ago Jess, now 17, moved out of her family home after the relationship with her parents began to breakdown.
"We had a house fire so it was a stressful time for everyone," she says. "I was going through my teenage years and my brother is autistic as well so the pressure and arguments with my parents just got worse." When the situation became too much for her, Jess left home. "I just said one night I was leaving and ended up staying at my mate's for six months."
According to a report published by the British Association for Adoption & Fostering (BAAF) this week, Jess is one of many children who have experienced prolonged periods of time away from their home in a private foster care arrangement.
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