The details of 70 children who have gone missing from schools in Bradford over the last three years have been posted on a Government database after all investigations to trace them failed.

Relationship breakdowns and parents taking their children overseas, to get married in some cases, are some of the reasons put forward for the “worrying” number of pupils across the district now on the Department for Education’s School to School Missing Children database.

The Bradford councillor responsible for Children’s Services, Coun Ralph Berry, said that the figures, revealed after a Freedom of Information request by the Telegraph & Argus, were a “worry” and urged people to suggest what they thought could be done to tackle the problem.

Meanwhile Coun Jeanette Sunderland, leader of the Council’s Liberal Democrat group, called for a council debate on the issue.

Figures from Bradford Council show 855 children were reported missing from education in the city between 2010 and 2012.

Of those, 304 were found and taken back into Bradford schools, while 403 were traced in other local authority areas, where that Council placed them at a school.

A further 29 were found to have left the country, three parents chose to educate their child at home and 18 students ceased to be of statutory school age while inquiries were taking place.

There are currently 13 children found and are waiting for a school place, while 14 recent referrals are still being classed as ‘open cases’ as investigations continue.

But 70 children could not be traced after visits to their last known address, attempts to contact their extended family and inquiries to find alternative addresses with bodies including West Yorkshire Police and benefits agencies.

Pam Milner, of teaching union NASUWT, said that some traveller families and those youngsters coming to the UK from Eastern Europe moved around alot because of their parents’ short-term work contracts.

“A lot of parents do not always have a positive attitude towards education and do not encourage their child to attend,” she said.

“Often children just disappear under the radar because there isn’t any joined-up networking, so if this database is trying to trace children who have suddenly moved away, that will be helpful.

“Other children from India and Pakistan go on long leave and don’t return to the same town, or can be taken to get married and may not come back again. You also have vulnerable families who live here but may have done a runner because they can’t pay their bills.”

Coun Berry said that the figure was a “worry” and one missing child was “too many.”

“When a child fails to turn up at school and there is growing concern, we have to act on the presumption that something is amiss,” he said.

“In the majority of situations it is because of a change in their family circumstances which they don’t bother to tell anyone about, like mum and dad have separated and mum’s got a new house.

“It’s a difficult one, because it could be that somebody goes abroad and takes their children and doesn’t tell us.

“It’s something that is seen in the family courts, where a family separates and one parent leaves the country and takes their children with them.

“It is a worry, but I’m not sure what more we can do – I’m open to suggestions. I think everyone has to work together on this.”

Coun Sunderland said: “If there are 70 children missing it’s extremely worrying.

“We need an explanation for why these children are missing.

“There are children who get sexually exploited in Bradford, a worrying number, and we need to make sure these children are not prey to people who do not have their best interests at heart.”

Coun Roger L’Amie, the Conservative group’s education spokesman, added: “It’s difficult in a free society, because you don’t have to ask permission to move. I think if there are 70 children off the radar it is a cause for concern.”

A Bradford Council spokesman said if a school believed a child had gone missing with their family, it would initially visit the last known address of the pupil, contact their extended family and try all known telephone numbers.

If that failed, it refered the case to the Education Social Work Service which, as part of sharing agreements, contacted bodies including West Yorkshire Police and benefits agencies to see if they had information about the child or the family’s whereabouts.

“Any information received from these agencies is acted upon, for example if an alternative address is identified, the Education Social Work Service will visit this address,” he added.

All Councils have a named person responsible for children missing education and, if there is information a family has moved to another authority, they will contact that area’s named person.