Hundreds of Hounslow children in need of support this Christmas

PICTURE POSED BY A MODEL File photo dated 02/02/20 of a teenage girl showing signs of mental health issues. Three out of five parents believe their child has experienced issues with mental health, according to "deeply concerning" research. Issue date: Monday December 12, 2022.

Hundreds of children in Hounslow are being looked after by the council, figures show.

While many of us will be tightening our belts this winter, charities are urging the public to give what they can – as thousands of young people across the country face a tough Christmas.

Figures from the Department for Education show 296 children were being looked after by Hounslow Council as of the end of March.

Of these, 164 (55%) could spend Christmas in foster care, and 120 (41%) in secure units, children's homes or semi-independent accommodation.

The same data shows there were 61 children under 10 years old being looked after by the council, and 87 unaccompanied asylum seekers.

Imran Hussain, director of policy and campaigns at Action for Children, said Christmas can be "lonely and isolating" for children in care.

“Away from their families and their friends, often in places far from home; many will not have happy memories of Christmas,” he added.

Across the country, more than 80,000 children are being looked after by their local authority.

Two-thirds find themselves in the care of the council having suffered abuse or neglect – and the DfE’s figures show 158 did so in Hounslow.

Mr Hussain continued: “The best way to ensuring more children have safe and happy Christmases is to fix the care system.

“We need to see a big switch from a system geared to putting children into care, to a system geared to preventing the need for children to go into care in the first place,” he added.

This Christmas, Action for Children are asking people to donate to buy a healthy breakfast, warm clothes or a Christmas gift for a vulnerable child as part of their ‘Secret Santa’ campaign.

A spokesperson for the Department for Education said every child "deserves a safe and secure home".

They continued: “Local authorities have a responsibility to provide appropriate care for all children in their care.”

“We are supporting them by investing millions to create high-quality, safe homes for children - and removing barriers and reducing delays in adoption and improving the recruitment of foster carers,” they added.