We also welcome the admission by children's minister Tim Loughton that the poor recording of missing children was "alarming" and the current "lack of recognition of the problem has got to stop and affirmative action put in place".
The number of children at risk of exploitation and violence on the streets is spiralling as flawed government data disguises the true scale of the problem nationwide and prevents implementation of an intelligence-led response.
The link between children who run away and sexual exploitation is indisputable. A more complete picture of the problem will mean better protection and prevention of the horrific experiences suffered by young runaways in the past, while a more intelligent and collaborative use of existing resources is needed to better support the frontline projects responsible for making government ideas happen on the ground.
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