Protecting Runaway Children

EDM number 393 in 2005-06, proposed by Paul Burstow on 22/06/2005.

That this House warmly welcomes the Children's Society's Safe and Sound campaign to make England safe for the 100,000 children who run away from home or care each year; is alarmed at the Society's findings that almost half of all children who have run away for over a week are physically or sexually hurt; calls on all local authorities to put into place the safeguards recommended by the Department of Health to protect young runaways; and further calls on the Government to undertake an early evaluation of the six pilot schemes for flexible community-based accommodation for young runaways across England which have now completed their first year, in order that the lessons can be incorporated in the swift establishment of a national network of safe places for children and young people.

This motion has been signed by a total of 351 MPs.