Projects aid child runaways

A quarter of runaways are under 11

Projects are being set up around the country to help the thousands of young people who run away from home every year.

The government has launched a wide-ranging package of measures to help vulnerable young people, including a fund of up to £3m to back over 25 flagship projects around the country.

The projects aim to build up a better understanding of how best to help runaways and prevent young people from running away in the first place.

Runaways often put themselves in extremely dangerous situations, sometimes getting involved in drugs

Barbara Roche

Minister for Social Exclusion Barbara Roche said more than 77,000 young people ran away from home each year.

"A quarter of these are children under the age of 11 who will be cold, hungry and scared," she said.

"Runaways often put themselves in extremely dangerous situations, sometimes getting involved in drugs, prostitution, begging and crime.

"For some of these young people, running away can be the trigger for a lifetime of social exclusion. That's why the practical steps outlined in this report are so crucial."

Safety net

Measures outlined in the Young Runaways report, published by the Government's Social Exclusion Unit on Thursday, include:

Better local co-ordination for young runaways in every area of the country

New flexible approaches to emergency accommodation, including better access to foster care placements

Better information for teachers to help prevent young people from running away

Guaranteed follow-up support and advice for the most vulnerable young runaways.

The Children's Society's Chief Executive Bob Reitemeier, welcomed the creation of a national safety net for young runaways.

He said the government's plans were a triumph for the charity, which has invested £12.5m in championing the cause of runaways over the past two decades, and for the children "whose voices have finally been heard".

Schemes include the Keys Project in Sunderland which works with young people aged 16 to 25 who are homeless or have problems with their accommodation.

The development funding will enable the project to work with young people under the age of 16 who have run away from home.

The development funding will also lead to a new Crisis Care scheme in Yorkshire and the Humber that will give young people instant access to foster carers when problems within the family have reached the point that they may run away.

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The report reveals the problems faced by runaways, the widespread extent of running away and its potentially negative consequences.

It says runaways are five times more likely than their peers to have problems with drugs and seven times more likely to have been physically abused.

The Department of Health is also publishing guidance for local authorities about children running from home and care as well as taking on the national co-ordination of policy for runaways.

Jacqui Smith, Minister of State at the Department of Health, said every agency in the community has a role in working together so that missing and runaway young people are offered appropriate, timely and effective services.