Vulnerable teenagers ‘dumped and abandoned’ in hotels by councils in England

Experts say many councils in England have nowhere else to place teenagers in care other than in hotels. Photograph: Elva Etienne/Getty Images

Vulnerable teenagers in care are being placed in hotels by cash-strapped councils, with experts warning they are being “served up” to criminal gangs.

Children aged 16 to 17 are entering care in greater numbers than any other age group, often with complex needs, and experts say many councils in England now have nowhere to put them. They are increasingly resorting to budget hotels, with no adult support, as a way of cutting costs and keeping teenagers off the streets.