ALMOST one quarter of children in care in Hampshire are living more than 20 miles from home.

A total of 270 youngsters have been put in residential homes or foster care more than the recommended distance from where they grew up.

Hampshire County Council told the Government it did not know the circumstances of a further 95 children in its care.

The majority of children in care in Hampshire are being fostered (835) rather than living in homes (105), the figures show. Fewer youngsters in care in Southampton are living more than 20 miles from home (50), although that it is still one in every ten.

But Edward Timpson, the children’s minister, attacked the report as “fundamentally flawed”, insisting that, since 2010, children in care were doing better at school, with absences down.

The Daily Echo is backing a campaign to find people willing to adopt, after it was revealed that almost 100 children in Hampshire are waiting to find permanent homes.

To find out more about adopting an information pack is also available online from Hampshire County Council at hants.gov.uk/adoption, or by calling 0845 603 5620.

Alternatively, Southampton City Council’s adoption services team can be reached by calling 0800 5 19 18 18 or e-mailing adoption.services@southampton.gov.uk.