Surge in the number of children missing from care in London

Research compiled for a report called London’s Children: Missing From Care found the number of children who went missing from care for more than 24 hours in 11 London boroughs more than doubled from 231 in 2013 to 504 in 2014.

Over those two years, the number of children going missing from care in Enfield quadrupled from 24 to 110, while in Brent the rise was 48 to 93. In Lewisham, the increase was 28 to 74 and in Camden, the rise was from 43 to 65.

The report, compiled by London Assembly member Caroline Pidgeon, is based on figures provided through a Freedom of Information Act request to all 32 London councils.

Pidgeon said she is particularly concerned that many of those who go missing may fall prey to child sexual exploitation by gangs.

She said: “There is a serious problem with the number of children missing from the care of London boroughs in every part of London. Not one London borough can be complacent about this issue.

“A looked-after child is already a vulnerable child. If they go missing for 24 hours or more they are immediately at serious risk, such as being drawn into criminal activity or becoming a victim of sexual abuse. Sadly across London, there are a number of criminal syndicates that target girls and boys for sexual abuse, often targeting runaway children.”

This latest data follows figures published in January by Ofsted, which showed an increase in the number of children going missing from foster care across England from 3,345 in 2012/13 to 4,245 in 2013/14.

Pidgeon is also concerned that many councils are still failing to accurately collect information or "make feeble excuses" for not releasing the data.

Of the 32 London boroughs contacted for her report, just 21 were able to supply accurate information and only 11 were able to present a comparison between 2013 and 2014. These 11 “at least know how serious the situation is”, she added.

Andy Elvin, chief executive of the charity TACT, said reseach is needed to look at whether young people are being put in the right placements to meet their needs.

"If they are going missing often it would indicate that they are not in the right placement. Is someone actually reviewing the placement that they are in?” he added.

Two years ago, Ofsted criticised councils for failing to keep accurate records of how many children in their local area go missing from care or home.