Child Runaways

Running away from home or substitute care is usually thought of as occurring among teenagers, and services for young runaways often focus on this age group. Yet around a quarter of those who run away do so for the first time before the age of 11 - some as young as six. This report focuses on the particular needs of children who run away, or are forced to leave home, before they are 11. Based on a large-scale survey and interviews with young runaways themselves, this work offers recommendations to policy-makers and professionals working with young runaways.