Almost 1,000 children run away from home every year in Oxfordshire and the numbers are rising, according to a national report released today by The Children's Society.

The report, Home Run, is based on a survey of 13,000 children aged 14-16 and aims to give more insight into why children run away.

Liz Buck, the charity's Oxfordshire social work manager, said an average of 947 children ran away from home in the county every year, but there were few services to help or support them at a time when they were vulnerable.

"We cannot expect teachers to spot the signs because they are already overstretched and don't have the time to pick up on the issues," she said.

"Change has to happen right across the board to reduce these figures."

The Children's Society wants family mediation services to help resolve problems between children and their parents or carers; education in parenting skills; support for children at the time of parental separation or conflict; and advice for children after the arrival of a step-parent in the family home.

The report found the majority of children who ran away were from traditional, two-parent families, but this was because they represented a large section of the population.

When the report looked at the number of children who ran away from different types of family, a different picture emerged. Only seven per cent of children living in traditional families ran away, but 14 per cent who lived with a single parent and 22 per cent who lived with a two-parent step-family did so.

She said: "Runaways come from all sorts of families and feature young people from all walks of life. Our findings are being linked to the increase in divorce, step-families and lone parents."

Eighty per cent of child runaways said problems at home were the reason for leaving, but few of those interviewed had any idea how to cope on the streets or look after themselves, increasing their chances of being physically and sexually abused.

The Government has backed the report with the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, pledging to cut the number of children who run away.

Mr Blair said: "We have to make it less likely that children will run away in the first place and, if they do run, ensure their immediate safety -- not just turf them back where they came from without finding out why."