Police, teachers and councils are failing to protect tens of thousands of children who run away from home every year and face drug abuse or sexual exploitation on the streets, Church of England bishops have warned.
In a letter published in The Daily Telegraph yesterday, 33 bishops are backing a campaign calling on ministers to introduce a national “safety net” to protect runaways from harm.
More than one in 10 children in the UK runs away before they reach the age of 16, with 100,000 fleeing their homes every year, but most are never reported missing. Many runaways are forced to leave by their parents or are attempting to escape abusive homes.
The campaign, organised by The Children’s Society, a leading charity, calls for a national action plan to ensure that schools, police, councils and health services prioritise the safety of child runaways.
The letter is signed by some of the Church’s most senior figures, including the Bishop of London, the Rt Rev Richard Chartres; the Bishop of Birmingham, Rt Revd David Urquhart; and the Bishop of Truro, the Rt Revd Tim Thornton, who is chair of the charity.