Lewisham chidren in care go missing

Lib Dem campaigner, Mark Morris has discovered that last year children in the care of Lewisham Council went missing 180 times for a day or more. At least one child disappeared 8 times during 2022.

Mark unearthed these shocking facts by submitting a question to the Council for answer at the January meeting.  A total of 27 children went missing for 24 hours or longer; of these 13 were being cared for in the borough, while 14 were housed outside Lewisham.

Children placed outside the borough vanished 107 times for a day or more. All but five of the incidents involved youngsters aged between 13 and 17.

Children placed in Lewisham disappeared for 24 hours or longer on 73 occasions during 2022. Of these, 58% were aged between 16 and 17; the others were even younger.

Mark was shocked to discover that three under-16 year olds were in homes that are not checked by Ofsted.  In 2021 the Government banned councils from placing young people in unregulated homes.

https://www.mylondon.news/news/south-london-news/kids-care-south-london-borough-26033850