Concern at lack of help for runaways

The needs of young runaways are being ignored, a charity director
told a conference last week.

Rebecca Pritchard, director of services at homeless young people’s
charity Centrepoint, said there was only one hostel in the UK for
under-16s – in London – with the only other help coming from social
services.

Childline research has shown that young people often reject help
from statutory bodies.

Pritchard was speaking in London at the Centrepoint conference,
Towards a National Framework for Young Runaways.