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Children's Minister Visits Missing People to Launch Guidance
The Children’s Minister Delyth Morgan today (01 July 2009) visited the offices of the charity Missing People in south-west London to mark the launch of the government’s new guidance for local authorities on improving care for young runaways.
During her visit, Lady Morgan heard first hand from staff and volunteers on the charity’s Runaway Helpline, including volunteer Philip*, a former runaway himself who decided to use his experience to help young runaways and those thinking of going missing from home or care.
Developed with the English Coalition for Runaway Children the new government guidance sets out how local authorities must work with the police and voluntary sector, and across local authority borders, to better support young runaways.
The guidance puts a stronger emphasis on ensuring there are robust systems in place for children that run away from home, not just from care, because these children are often less known to children’s services.
Speaking at the charity today Children’s Minister Delyth Morgan said: “When a 
child runs away from home or care this is a cry for help. Children must be given the help and support they so desperately need. That is why today I am calling on all local authorities to take the necessary action, set out in the new guidance, to protect vulnerable young runaways.”
Missing People’s Runaway Helpline helps to safeguard young people across the UK via 24 hour advice and support by phone, email and now text.
Geoff Newiss, Director of Policy and Research at Missing People said: “The task ahead is to make sure this guidance brings about real improvements at a local level to the problems facing young people and the availability of places and people who can help them at their time of need.”
