Home & Away
The UK's Teenage Runaways
Each year more than 100,000 children run away from home or care in the UK.
In Britain there is an ever growing tide of children who run away and a ruthlessly efficient group of predators are willing to prey on them. With 66% of parents or carers not reporting their children missing to the police, the most vulnerable are the most unprotected.
Runaway children go the heart of how society deals with its most vulnerable and troubled teenagers. Some are running away from problems, while others are running headlong towards them. When on the run they are exposed to drugs, organised crime, sexual exploitation and trafficking networks.
In a recent report by The Children's Society, one in six runaways say they were forced to sleep rough or with strangers. With adult refuges turning away anyone under the age of 18, there are only ten refuge beds in the entire country for children on the streets.
In this photo essay and FIVE news report, I have documented some of the most prolific young runaways in the UK, running over 80 times a year.
Commissoned by The Observer Magazine and FIVE news (scroll down for links)
Click for:
FIVE News part 1 (via YouTube)
FIVE News part 2 (via YouTube)
FIVE News part 3 (via YouTube)
 |
>
      |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |  | |
 |  |  |
|
