The charity Railway Children has launched its Christmas campaign, calling on the railway community to unite to protect vulnerable children who will go missing from home this Christmas.

The campaign focuses on the charity’s work in the UK to raise awareness of vulnerability on the rail network and to help children and families who are facing crisis.

Twenty-eight children are found lost, alone and vulnerable at transport hubs across the UK each day. Many have used the railway to escape issues at home, such as family conflict, abuse and neglect. With each hour that a child is missing, the risks increase, with reports showing that one quarter of children who run away will experience exploitation, violent crime or abuse.

Railway Children’s campaign draws attention to the important role that the rail industry can play in identifying young people who are alone and at risk over the festive period. The charity runs a Safeguarding on Transport programme, through which it trains rail staff to spot signs of vulnerability and know how to respond.

The Safeguarding on Transport projects run in London, Yorkshire and Humberside, the West Midlands, North West England and Glasgow. In addition, they have established Safeguarding Action Groups at locations with a high number reports of children at risk, working with the station community to raise awareness of vulnerability and develop local solutions to ensure no child goes unnoticed.

The charity, which was set up in 1996, works with the rail industry, British Transport Police (BTP) and the public to identify children at risk on the railways and ensure that they receive the help they need. Once the BTP refer a vulnerable child, Railway Children provides bespoke, one-to-one support for them and their family for as long as they need it.

Many railway companies and their employees support Railway Children financially, including Caledonian Sleeper, c2c and Transport for London.

You can support Railway Children’s campaign by giving a gift or pledging to help protect children this Christmas. Find out more here.

Rob Capener, Group Chief Executive Officer at Railway Children, said: “For many of the children we work with, Christmas means more stress, more fighting, more abuse and more fear. Sadly, where vulnerable children hope to find relief from the chaos of home, what they often find instead are people seeking to exploit them.

“Our UK programme has the people and the systems in place to help children and families facing crises this Christmas, but we need your help to reach them all. That’s why, this Christmas, we’re asking you to play your part to keep these children safe.”

Georgia Payne, Safeguarding and Trespass Prevention Lead at Greater Anglia, said: “After receiving the Safeguarding on Transport training from Railway Children, I feel confident that I can identify when a child is vulnerable and in need of urgent support.

“The railway is an easy way for children to escape difficult situations at home and young people who are at risk of exploitation will often gravitate towards busy transport hubs. By working with Railway Children and BTP, together we can help to make the railways safer for vulnerable young people and respond quickly before they come to harm.”