Many children in care being moved hundreds of miles from home, charity warns

Become’s research, conducted by analysing data from Freedom of Information requests submitted to the Department for Education and 151 local authorities, found that some children were moved more than 500 miles from home. Last year more than 800 children under the care of local authorities in England were moved to Scotland or Wales, the report adds.

Children with experience of multiple care placements are more likely to be placed more than 20 miles away from home, the report states.

Those who were moved more than 20 miles away were also likely to have lower wellbeing and experience emotional difficulties than those who were placed closer to their own communities, it adds.

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Though some children are moved to different areas for their own safety and welfare, the charity has warned that many are being placed miles away from their home due to a lack of suitable care placements in their local area.

Become’s #GoneTooFar campaign, launched today (25 April) has called on the government and local authorities to commit to preventing children being placed miles from home, and to publish strategies to increase the availability of appropriate local placements.

Each year, more & more children in care are moved miles away from the community, people & places that matter to them.

So today we launch #GoneTooFar - our new campaign calling for urgent action & accountability at a local AND national level.

Read more 📍 https://t.co/DQpwbTwKSN pic.twitter.com/FP2f7Bl015

— Become (@Become1992) April 25, 2023

The charity has also urged the government and local authorities to register and report on the number of times children are moved to different areas inappropriately.

💬“My twin sister was moved from London to Ipswich. That really affected her as she went from living in a city to a countryside with a lack of diversity.”

Join our campaign #GoneTooFar to stop children from being moved away from their support networks💜https://t.co/DQpwbTwKSN pic.twitter.com/Tcuk7vmbmd

— Become (@Become1992) April 25, 2023

Other charities have tweeted in support of the campaign, including The Children's Right's Alliance for England and The Children's Society.

All children need love, stability & security to thrive.

But that's hard for children in care who are moved, on average, 18+ miles away from the people & places that matter most to them.

That's why we're supporting @Become1992's new campaign #GoneTooFarhttps://t.co/GH5YMusArL pic.twitter.com/njW9lVKpXK

— Children’s Rights Alliance for England (@CRAE_official) April 25, 2023

All children need love, stability & security to thrive.

But that's hard for children in care who are moved, on average, 18+ miles away from the people & places that matter most to them.

That's why we're supporting @Become1992's new campaign #GoneTooFarhttps://t.co/GH5YMusArL pic.twitter.com/njW9lVKpXK

— Children’s Rights Alliance for England (@CRAE_official) April 25, 2023

Katharine Sacks-Jones, chief executive of Become, said: “Being moved can disrupt a child’s education, life outcomes, and relationships – including with brothers and sisters who might live miles away.

“Poor transport links can make it difficult or even impossible for a young person to get to school or college, see their friends or stay connected to their community. Young people tell us how lonely, isolated, and stigmatised it makes them feel. 

“Without urgent action this problem will continue to get worse,” she added. “We need a national commitment and strategy to keep children close to the people and places that matter to them.”