Soaring numbers of children going missing in care – with five reports a day and youngest child aged four

Vulnerable children who repeatedly go missing from care in Suffolk and Essex are at a serious risk of sexual exploitation and bullying.

That is the stark warning from campaigners as “disturbing” new figures reveal five missing reports are logged by children’s services in both counties every single day.

Council chiefs in Suffolk received 2,757 reports of looked-after children going missing from 2015 to 2017 – relating to 357 individuals – according to statistics released to this newspaper.

More >> Soaring numbers of children going missing in care – with five reports a day and youngest child aged four