Teenagers at risk due to impact of coronavirus

Children's commissioner Anne Longfield warns a "lost generation of teens" could be groomed by gangs and criminals if they cannot be reached.

The commissioner's analysis identified 681 people aged 13 to 17 years old in Wolverhampton, who were slipping through the cracks in education and social care provision in 2017 to 2018. It is around 45.9 per 1,000 teenagers in the age group – one of the highest proportions in the West Midlands.

In Staffordshire, figures showed 1,639 people aged 13 to 17 years old were slipping through the provisions – around 35.1 per cent per 1,000 teenagers.

While in Walsall, 786 13 to 17 year olds were slipping through – around 45.3 per 1,000 teenagers.

Data showed in Dudley 797 were identified – 43.2 per 1,000 teenagers in the age group.

And in Sandwell, 931 teenagers aged 13 to 17 were identified – 46.3 per 1,000.

The figures includes children who were bounced around or went missing from the care system, were excluded from or dropped out of school, or had high levels of unauthorised absence. It also counts those who were not in education, employment or training (NEET) as of December 2017.

These young people are at greater risk of exploitation, poor mental health and domestic violence and addiction in the home due to the coronavirus pandemic, the report says.

Structure

This has been compounded by closures of schools, youth services, summer schemes, parks and leisure activities, with those affected in danger of remaining “invisible” after lockdown restrictions ease, it adds.

Across England, around 123,000 teenagers aged 13 to 17 were flagged as falling through the gaps – a rate of 40.0 in 1,000.

Ms Longfield said: “Many of these children, and I fear many thousands of other vulnerable teenagers, have had very little structure to their lives over the last six months.

“School was often a stretch for them, and I am concerned we are never going to get some of them back into education.

“If we do not act now, this could result in a lost generation of teens – dropping out of school, going under the radar, getting into trouble, and at risk of being groomed by gangs and criminals.”

She is calling on the Government, schools, councils, the police and other groups to work together to support these children.

“We must not look back in five years at a generation of vulnerable teenagers who fell out of society and ended up drifting into crime and unemployment,” she added.