Aberlour Young Runaways Service

Overview

Aberlour Young Runaways Service provides support to young people across Scotland, under the age of 16, who are thinking about or who have run away.

Aberlour Young Runaways Service provides refuge and outreach support to some of Scotland’s most vulnerable young people.

With over 9,000 children in Scotland running away each year and two thirds of these not being reported missing to the police, it was clear there was a need for this vital service.

The service opened in 2001 and provides Scotland’s only refuge accommodation for young runaways who feel unable to return home. It is a safe haven away from the dangerous streets where 1 in 6 of the 9,000 runaways each year are physically or sexually assaulted.

Freephone 0800 783 6686

Text SAFE and your name to to 80800 - we will call you back within 24 hours.

Text RUNNING to 70707 to donate £3

Volunteer Opportunities

Education Volunteer

Volunteer Mentor

Service leaflet - Information for Professionals

Aberlour Young Runaways Service Information for Professionals leaflet

Click here to view the Care Inspectorate Inspection Report for Aberlour Young Runaways Service.

Services & Outcomes

Service aims and what we offer

Aberlour Young Runaways Service aims to improve the outcomes for young people who have, or are likely to, run away from home.

Specific Aims:

Reduce the likelihood of children and young people running away from home

Enable children, young people and carers to address the problems that have prompted the running away

Enable young people who run away to stay safe from harm

Aberlour Young Runaways Service provides safe and confidential accommodation for young runaways to minimise or eliminate the risk of harm from the location they ran from or the place they would have run to.

Aberlour Young Runaways Service achieves this through:

a 24 hour telephone service so young people can call at any time if they find themselves in difficulty, have run away, are thinking of running away or need advice. a refuge that offers emergency accommodation at a confidential location in the Glasgow area where young people can stay for up to 7 days. Here they can take time out to think about things, talk to professional staff, make plans for moving on to a safe place and begin the process of identifying issues.
support to children and young people who have previously been in the refuge.
a community outreach service offering support for young runaways such as mediation, individual support and advocacy as well as early intervention via PSE workshops in schools and youth centres.

General service information

The refuge is a 24 hour, 7 day a week, 365 day a year service.

The outreach team operates from our office base.

Referrals can come from any individual including social work services, police, family members and young people themselves. Young people access the refuge voluntarily and can leave if they choose to do so. Their legal status does not change as a result of them being in the Aberlour Young Runaways Service refuge as they are not legally defined as being ‘in care’.

Outcomes

This service contributes to the following Scottish Government’s National Outcomes.

• Our young people are successful learners, confident individuals, effective communicators and responsible citizens.
• Our children have the best start in life and are ready to succeed.
• The life chances for children, young people and families at risk have improved.
• Our children live safe from crime, disorder and danger.

Partnership and funding

Aberlour Young Runaways Service works in partnership with agencies to provide this vital and unique service including Strathclyde Police, Glasgow City Council, South Lanarkshire Council, The Railway Children, Children In Need, STV/Hunter and Aviva.