In a cross-party debate to raise awareness on the issue, Aled Roberts AM expressed his concern that some local authorities are not yet fully implementing Welsh Government guidelines to protect children who go missing from care.
At least 221 vulnerable children in the care of social services in Wales have been reported missing over the last two years, with many unaccounted for over several months.
Aled Roberts, Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for North Wales, said:
“It is a sad fact that in Wales today there are too many children that are still going missing. Vulnerable children who have been placed in an environment of care are not receiving the compassion and support they need from local authorities.
“It is shocking that one quarter of councils have no central record of missing children, with a further five only keeping figures on children missing longer than 24 hours. It is unacceptable that the very authorities who should be acting as ‘corporate parents’ to these children are not working consistently.
“It is also worrying that 90% of cases where the children in care were at risk of sexual exploitation do in fact go missing. It is imperative that the All Wales Protocols are enforced by all local authorities to enable all our councils to do more their utmost to vulnerable children.
“It is also essential that the Welsh Labour government addressees these failings at local level and realise that their policies are yet to be fully. I hope that the necessary leadership and coordination is provided by the Welsh government before even more children are failed by the system”.
