Initiatives aimed at runaways have reached many of these vulnerableyoung people, but statistics show that the proportion of childrenrunning away has not fallen in the past six years. Local authorities inEngland are charged with helping young runaways but support services onthe ground are patchy or non-existent, with just a handful of officialrefuges for young runaways and funding for these running out. Incontrast, a system of federally funded shelters and a governmenthelpline has existed in the US since the 1970s.
This month, children's minister Beverley Hughes acknowledged thatcurrent guidance to local authorities is "not enough" and announced thepublication of a green paper later this year to introduce measures withlocal authorities "that really stop looked-after children fromdrifting". But more needs to be done to join the many existing servicesand programmes into a coherent system that doesn't consistently failthese young people.
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
