Hundreds go missing from care

Hundreds go missing from care

As many as 389 young people have gone missing from care since 2000, according to a survey of local authorities by the Care Leavers' Association.

The report suggests the majority are asylum seekers targeted by traffickers after arriving in the UK. The charity is calling on the government to provide more resources to help them escape from traffickers.

The figures from 155 local authorities in England and Wales were collected through the Freedom of Information Act.

The survey indicated while some local authorities could account for all the young people in their care, 41 had seen young people go missing without a trace. The figures were based on 155 responses from 172 requests for information.

'Hundreds' go missing from care (BBC News, 10 December 2008)