Runaway children

Juvenile desertion
Runaway adolescents
Runaway youth

Nature

Runaway children are minors who leave home without parental or guardian permission, often to escape abuse, neglect, family conflict, or other adverse conditions. This phenomenon is a significant social problem, exposing children to heightened risks of homelessness, exploitation, substance abuse, and mental health issues. Runaway children frequently lack access to basic needs, education, and support systems, making them vulnerable to criminal activity and victimization. Addressing the root causes—such as family dysfunction, poverty, and inadequate social services—is essential for prevention and intervention, highlighting the need for coordinated efforts among families, communities, and authorities.

Background

The phenomenon of runaway children gained international attention in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as urbanization and industrialization exposed the vulnerability of youth fleeing home environments. Reports from cities worldwide highlighted the growing numbers and risks faced by these children. By the 1970s, global organizations and researchers began systematically documenting the issue, recognizing its links to social, economic, and familial factors, and prompting coordinated responses across continents.

Incidence

Driven by family problems (ranging from arguments to abuse), drug abuse, sexual or physical abuse, financial pressures and a growing number of single-parent families, approximately half a million adolescents are running away from or being forced out of their homes every year in the US. In 1989, in the UK the number of runaways was officially estimated at approximately 100,000 cases, most commonly 15 year-olds. Half returned within 24 hours, a further quarter after 72 hours, and 3% were away for 10 days or more. About 40% of those who stay away from home enter the care of a municipal authority and about half of these repeatedly go missing. Around 7% get involved in prostitution and 20% with drug abuse. A study in 1993 indicated that one in seven young people in Leeds left home for a least one night before the age of 16, namely six times more than previous official estimates.

Claim

Runaway children represent a deeply urgent crisis that society cannot afford to ignore. Every child who runs away is a victim of neglect, abuse, or systemic failure, and their vulnerability exposes them to unimaginable dangers. Turning a blind eye to this issue is both irresponsible and inhumane. We must prioritize immediate action, support, and intervention to protect these children and address the root causes driving them from their homes. Their lives depend on it.

Counter-claim

The issue of runaway children is vastly overstated and does not warrant the attention it receives. Most cases are temporary, with children returning home quickly and unharmed. Resources spent on this so-called “problem” could be better used elsewhere. Society should focus on more pressing issues rather than exaggerating the impact of a phenomenon that, in reality, affects a very small portion of the population and rarely results in serious consequences.