Numbers of missing children in care abused or exploited revealed
MORE than 100 incidents of abuse and exploitation involving children who have gone missing from care were recorded in the nine months after last year’s Covid lockdown started.
Leicestershire County Council confirmed that 53 reports of sexual abuse or exploitation were recorded in relation to eight missing children.
There were 56 incidents of criminal exploitation logged in relation to nine children missing from care.
A Freedom of Information Act request answered by the council also revealed seven children were sexually exploited or abused more than twice while missing from care.
A looked-after child or child in care is classed as a child who has been in the care of the local authority for more than 24 hours.
They live with foster parents, in a residential children’s home or residential schools or units.
The children included in the figures are some of the most vulnerable in society and often have complex histories.
Many are subject to safety planning that directs the authorities to intervene and find the child as soon as possible.
A child not returning from school on time is recorded as missing if there has been no contact with their legal guardian.
The incidents listed are recorded when children who have gone missing from care are interviewed by a specialist team after they have been found.
An incident could be anything from a child being sent an inappropriate picture, contact from a risky
We always act swiftly, to ensure they are returned home safe and well as quickly as possible
Coun Taylor
MORE THAN 100 INCIDENTS LOGGED IN FIRST NINE MONTHS OF LOCKDOWN
adult or being invited to a party where drugs or alcohol are being consumed.
Fewer than five looked after children were missing for at least a week between March 23, when lockdown started, and January 21, when the information request was submitted. The longest period of time a child was missing was for 13 days, in October.
No children were missing for a month or longer and all of those reported missing were found. Deborah Taylor, Leicestershire County Council cabinet member for children and families, said: “We take all reports of children missing extremely seriously and we always act swiftly, working closely with the police and health colleagues to ensure they are returned home safe and well as quickly as possible.
“Our senior managers have a robust oversight of this work and we have systems in place to identify young people at risk of going missing, and to help minimise the risk of this happening.
“Together, partners will discuss individual vulnerabilities and overall risk to a missing child.
“We will also work closely with the child when they are returned to understand the reason for them going missing in the first place, to offer help and support and to devise a prompt response if it ever should happen again.
“Partners consider the wider prevention of missing children as a primary safeguarding concern and will look to see if there is any evidence of any form of exploitation in a case.
“We work together to identify children vulnerable to risk and will offer early intervention and awareness raising in these cases.”