Teen reported missing from Sussex children's home 173 times (From The Argus)

It might be time to cut that individual loose and use the resources more wisely.

F in L wrote:
It might be time to cut that individual loose and use the resources more wisely.

I always like to hear the ill informed knee jerk comments of the ignorant here.

This illustrates some of the many unseen jobs that police have to pick up. Especially when social services go home.

The kid needs a smacked backside and to be told what side his bread is buttered on. Stop with the cotton wool treatment.

There is more than 1 category of missing when reporting looked after children to the police. They will notify police that they know where the person is, if that's the case and discuss the best course of action, depending on the current risk assessment.

Each child who is looked after has, generally speaking, suffered great harm at the hands of their families - physical, emotional and/or sexual abuse and/or neglect. It goes without saying that these children and young people can react in various different ways - it's not uncommon for them to put themselves at further risk in many different ways, including staying out beyond agreed curfews.

This article by the Argus is quite shallow and does nothing to help the general public understand the complexities involved.

The councillor making the comments sounds like he needs to wake up and smell the coffee. As a corporate parent he needs to remember we are not talking about litter bins here - they are vulnerable children.

emma barnes wrote:
This illustrates some of the many unseen jobs that police have to pick up. Especially when social services go home.

And that comment is total rubbish.

As an ex-worker in children's homes, I can tell you that we don't go home - in fact we were there (and often awake) all day and night.

There is a legal obligation to report a child missing, which doesn't mean the police have to do anything immediately, other than to receive the report. In fact, we frequently filled in the necessary documentation for them.

My colleagues then, and I am sure now, worked very hard to look after some of the most damaged young people - much of the extra time was unpaid. Like the rest of the public sector we care, but not for ill-informed comments like this one.

We do not expect thanks, and rarely get it in any case - but, please, take the time to find the facts first.

ourcoalition wrote:

emma barnes wrote:
This illustrates some of the many unseen jobs that police have to pick up. Especially when social services go home.

And that comment is total rubbish.

As an ex-worker in children's homes, I can tell you that we don't go home - in fact we were there (and often awake) all day and night.

There is a legal obligation to report a child missing, which doesn't mean the police have to do anything immediately, other than to receive the report. In fact, we frequently filled in the necessary documentation for them.

My colleagues then, and I am sure now, worked very hard to look after some of the most damaged young people - much of the extra time was unpaid. Like the rest of the public sector we care, but not for ill-informed comments like this one.

We do not expect thanks, and rarely get it in any case - but, please, take the time to find the facts first.

Did you experience any of the issues that have surfaced regarding sexual and other abuse of children, or was that just in church based schools?

Might be easier to report when this teen is not missing - save on paperwork

born n breed wrote:
The kid needs a smacked backside and to be told what side his bread is buttered on. Stop with the cotton wool treatment.

what a stupid comment! these kids need help,its not their fault they are in care,anyone who has been in the foster system will know how lonely and hard it is,feeling unloved and unwanted and often confused,they need help and time which often doesnt happen.

Surely not! wrote:

F in L wrote:
It might be time to cut that individual loose and use the resources more wisely.

I always like to hear the ill informed knee jerk comments of the ignorant here.

And enhance them I see!

Somethingsarejustwro
ng wrote:

ourcoalition wrote:

emma barnes wrote:
This illustrates some of the many unseen jobs that police have to pick up. Especially when social services go home.

And that comment is total rubbish.

As an ex-worker in children's homes, I can tell you that we don't go home - in fact we were there (and often awake) all day and night.

There is a legal obligation to report a child missing, which doesn't mean the police have to do anything immediately, other than to receive the report. In fact, we frequently filled in the necessary documentation for them.

My colleagues then, and I am sure now, worked very hard to look after some of the most damaged young people - much of the extra time was unpaid. Like the rest of the public sector we care, but not for ill-informed comments like this one.

We do not expect thanks, and rarely get it in any case - but, please, take the time to find the facts first.

Did you experience any of the issues that have surfaced regarding sexual and other abuse of children, or was that just in church based schools?

In my relatively long (20 years) employment in 3 different places, I am very pleased to say, no - none. Not even a hint of it. In my other role, as a Trade Union rep, for a large County Branch, I was aware of some incidents - all came to the attention of the police, to my knowledge, usually reported by staff (often union members). I think that does demonstrate why certain services ought to remain in the public sector - it doesn't guarrantee safety, but it does go a long way towards it.
I think those safeguards don't exist in other sectors to the same degree.
But we also need to recognise the reality, that 15-20 years and more, ago, there were very few checks on the background of adults working in the sector - now, there are, which is a vast improvement. This is a subject that is very big, so my comments are by no means definitive.

This is "data" that should be used to better understand the child, and what's good for him or her, and to address what supervision is in place at the home. Who is this child running to? Who is he or she running from?

The figures provided by East Sussex County Council are simply not credible. The children placed in residential care have very complex and damaged histories, and running away is a common response. If the children they have in residential care are so settled they should have moved to foster homes a long time ago.

joanne_77 wrote:

born n breed wrote: The kid needs a smacked backside and to be told what side his bread is buttered on. Stop with the cotton wool treatment.

what a stupid comment! these kids need help,its not their fault they are in care,anyone who has been in the foster system will know how lonely and hard it is,feeling unloved and unwanted and often confused,they need help and time which often doesnt happen.

Ball locks! Being in care and being in the foster system are two diffrent things.

Trust me I know about both.

Not all but some of these kids are not the littlle angels you are trying to make them out to be.