A YORK woman who grew up in council care says her childhood has been 'lost' because council officials cannot find her files.

Jan Kelly, now 49, went into care at St Hilda's children's home, York, aged six. Until she was almost 16 she lived in children's homes and with various foster parents. But when she approached City of York Council for her records to find out more about her childhood, she was told they could not be traced.

Jan's mum, who died seven years ago, would never really talk about why Jan was put into care with her older brother.

Jan hoped her records might hold some answers, but apart from winning a small compensation payment, which Jan says she didn't really want, efforts to trace them have drawn a blank.

"I just feel like I have lost part of my childhood," Jan said.

"I didn't have a normal family relationship like other children do with their parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles.

"I wanted a few answers to a few questions that I had wanted to ask my mother but couldn't or she wouldn't answer."

Jan believes other children who were in care about the same time may also have had their records lost.

Pete Dwyer, City of York Council's assistant director of children's services, said Jan's records may have been destroyed after being transferred to North Yorkshire County Council in 1974, when files were kept for only five years.

He said he understood how disappointed Jan must feel, and pledged the council would do all it could to help her piece together her childhood.

"Records of looked-after children are now stored securely for at least 75 years," he added. "The fact that files are now kept for this long recognises her situation and that of others who were in care during the '60s and '70s."

A spokesman for North Yorkshire County Council's social services department, said:

"We sympathise with this lady's case and we are checking our own records to see if we can be of further help."

Updated: 12:02 Wednesday, November 28, 2001