Running away: Leila's story

"I was born in a really strict country and moved to England with my mum when I was 8. My mum and I started arguing a lot when I was 13 as I wanted to go out with my friends and my mum didn’t want me to as she was worried about what I’d get mixed up in.

"She thought that England was really dangerous and she was worried that I’d get into drink and drugs. My friends all had more freedom than me and I didn’t want to miss out on being able to go out.

"I saw the dangers but I was quite street smart so I didn’t think they would affect me. I’d say to my mum ‘I’m with my friends, just trust me that I won’t start drinking or doing drugs’ but she was still worried. I felt like I was stuck between 2 cultures.

"I clashed a lot with my mum and I began running away from home. The police would call my friends but none of them knew where I was. As the arguments with my mum got worse, I started running away for longer and I could be away for up to a month.

"Sometimes I'd stay with friends, or boyfriends or with a stranger. It would be a roof over my head for the night and some food in my belly. I was scared though not scared enough to stop doing it as, at the time, that was better than having to go home.

"There were times though when I'd had a bad argument with my mum and I'd have nowhere to go. I'd wandered the streets in the middle of the night and I was scared. I'm surprised that nothing bad happened to me. One night I was wandering the street in the early hours of the morning and I went into a phone box for shelter.

"I wasn't sure if Childline would be able to help me as I wasn't being abused or anything. I also wasn't sure whether they'd tell me that it was my fault that I left home and that I should just go back there. I thought that I'd brought it on myself so I didn't think they'd help me.

"When they answered I told the counsellor that I was arguing a lot with my mum. They asked me what had happened and I said my mum and I had had a bad argument and that I'd left home. They asked me whether it could be resolved and whether I could go back home but I said that it couldn't be resolved and I wouldn't go home.

"Because they didn't want me to be wandering the street at night by myself, they arranged for me to get a taxi to a centre for young runaways.

"They had a system in place to ensure that I got into the right taxi and that it took me to the right place. They kept me on the phone while I waited for the taxi to come to make sure that I was safe. They asked me general things like what school I went to and who my friends were. This helped me keep calm while I was waiting.

"I got to the hostel safely and I was really relieved that I had called Childline and that they were able to help me.

"Other times, I'd be walking the streets at 4 or 5 in the morning and it could be scary. I called Childline about 20 times altogether and they would calm me down if I was in a state. If I had nowhere to go they would always find me a hostel to stay in to make sure that I wasn't out on the streets. It was good having them there at the end of the line.

"If anyone is nervous about calling Childline, or isn't sure whether Childline can help them, then I'd encourage them to just give them a try as they can help with any problems. They won't tell you that you are in the wrong and they'll listen to you talk about what's bothering you.

"I'm so glad that I called Childline. I don't know where I'd be now without them, both because of the potential dangers but also because of the emotional support that I received from them. I knew that if ever I needed them they would be there for me and it was a nice thought."