Children's Society calls for network of refuge centres for young runaways

Thousands of children harmed after running away from home should be protected by a network of new refuge centres, the Government was told today.

Campaigners highlighted a shortage of emergency accommodation sites, claiming only nine centres exist for more than 100,000 youngsters who run away each year.

Up to 20,000 of those young people sleep rough or are harmed while away from home, the Children's Society claims.

Only 5% of children currently seek help from the police or social services while away from home, the report said.

Evidence, commissioned by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, contained 17 recommendations on how a "national safety net" for runaways in need of somewhere safe to stay should be created.

Bob Reitemeier, chief executive of the Children's Society, said: "We call on the Government to make it a high priority to establish crisis response services for runaways across the country.

"We know budgets are tight, but this report demonstrates how, by working together and combining resources, local areas can ensure that vulnerable children who run away have access to safe places away from the streets."

The Commissioning, Delivery and Perceptions of Emergency Accommodation for Young Runaways report claims refuge centres could bring significant cost savings for the Government.

A spokesman for the report, written by The Children's Society in collaboration with the University of York, said it "emphasises that running away is largely a hidden problem".

A spokesman for the report added: "The report highlights that emergency accommodation is widely perceived as being expensive. But in fact this proposal could bring significant cost savings in the long term."

Recommendations include a wider package of crisis support for young runaways.

The spokesman added: "This network should include everything from universal and targeted work to prevent young people running away in the first place, a 24-hour crisis helpline, to the provision of follow-up support to help reduce the chances of children running away again."

One young person interviewed as part of the research said: "I'd rather stay on the street and be nearly dead than just turn to somebody and say this is where I am."