I would also make sure that every runaway was given an independent advocate to help their voice be heard and to eradicate the preconception that running away is attention seeking, childish and a sign of being spoiled.
I would make sure that a young person was never forced to go back home and that threats of secure accommodation are never used as emotional blackmail. I would provide emergency safe accommodation for runaways to protect them from exploitation. Where appropriate I would use family mediation to work with the whole family to achieve the best outcome.
I would make homeless prevention work compulsory in personal, social and health education lessons and make it compulsory for the work inside schools to be delivered by a voluntary agency. I would set up a joint working policy with the police and child protection team to refer repeat runaways to an appropriate agency.
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