Some councils lack runaways protocol

Eighteen councils in England did not have a protocol with the
police last year for monitoring incidents where children run away
from care, the government has revealed.

Five others had not appointed a manager to monitor such incidents,
junior children’s minister Maria Eagle told parliament last
week.

The two measures were stipulated in Department of Health guidance
in 2002. Although a number of the authorities contacted by
Community Care have since updated their practices, The
Children’s Society said the picture was still confusing.

Its own research suggested only 75 of England’s 150 local
authorities had protocols with the police in place, with a further
25 working towards them.