Britain's missing babies: How thousands of children have disappeared from council care in the last two years – and one infant still can't be found

• Almost 5,000 children  - including babies - have disappeared from council care in the past two years, new figures have revealed. 

Nineteen babies have vanished for months at a time, and one infant - just a few months old - has still not been found two years later. 

The figures have been unveiled under a freedom of information request. 

Almost 5,000 children - including babies - have disappeared from council care in the past two years, new figures have revealed (stock picture)

They show that 4,852 looked-after children were reported missing between January 2012 and December 2013, the Sunday Times reports. 

There were 24,320 cases logged - as many disappeared more than once. The large majority were teenagers but dozens of those who disappeared were between four and nine years old. 

Kent County Council reported the most children missing - with 458 children disappearing on 2,623 occasions. 

The number includes a one-year-old girl missing since July 2013. 

Kent County Council reported the most children missing - with 458 children disappearing on 2,623 occasions

The second highest number was in Nottinghamshire where 215 children disappeared. 

In Hertfordshire there were 209 missing children. 

Tom Rahilly, head of strategy for looked-after children at the NSPCC, told the paper: 'When children and young people in care go missing it should be no different to when any other child disappears from home. This is very alarming.'

He said children may disappear because the parent decides to remove them without going through the proper channels, and often teenage mothers in care decide to leave with their child.

The Department for Education said it had improved guidance to councils regarding children missing from care.