Missing child or young person
Missing child or young person
A missing person is “anyone whose whereabouts cannot be established”. A person will be considered missing until they are located and their well-being or otherwise confirmed.
Find out more about:
- What to do when a child or young person has gone missing
- When the child or young person's location is identified
- When you're unable to locate the child or young person
- What to expect after a missing episode
What to do when a child or young person has gone missing
Before contacting the police, attempts to locate the child or young person must be made. When a child or young person is not at a location they are expected to be at, proactive steps to trace the child or young person’s whereabouts prior to contacting the police and keep a record of the enquiries that they’ve made is essential.
Proactive attempts to locate the child or young person should include:
- physical checks of the residence, the young person’s bedroom and any other location they may be hiding
- physical checks of any garden, garage, sheds and surrounding areas
- contacting the missing young person’s wider family and friends to see if the child has contacted them
When the child or young person's location is identified
If the child or young person’s location is identified, then they will not be considered as missing. They are “not where they are supposed to be” and the police should not be called.
Continue to make enquires to ascertain the safety of the child or young person and proactively look for the young person. If the situation changes then re-evaluate.
If a child or young person is “not where they are supposed to be” but you believe that they are at risk of harm at the location they are known to be at then report them to the police as a “concern for welfare of a child or young person at risk of harm.”
When you're unable to locate the child or young person
If after your enquires you cannot locate the child or young person, they will be considered as missing and you should report them to the police as missing. When reporting a child or young person as missing to the police you should provide details of:
- the child or young person (for example, name, age, description and provide a photograph if available)
- the searches and enquiries you have carried out
- known associates such as friends and family who they may reach out to
- the background of the child including any previous missing episodes and partnership information if available
- any physical or mental impairments that might impact on the child’s level of development, functioning, understanding or appreciation of risk
- any presenting circumstances and any reasonably foreseeable risks
- any other information which may be relevant to assessing the level of risk to the child
What to expect after a missing episode
Statutory guidance for local authorities in England states that on every occasion a child goes missing, on their return they should be offered a Return Home Interview (RHI), by someone who is not involved in caring for the child or young person. A RHI provides an opportunity for a person to be listened to, to understand why they went missing, what happened whilst they were away, including exploring whether they have come to any harm. A RHI allows you to discuss what needs to be put in place to prevent them from going missing again. This can be completed face-to-face or over the phone.
A RHI can:
- help understand and address the reasons why a child has gone missing such as exploitation
- identify harm that may have occurred while the child was away
- allow actions to be identified needed to prevent further missing episodes and reduce additional risks
- help the child feel safe
- ascertain if a child and family would benefit from further support and provide further information how to stay safe
- inappropriate, manipulative or exploitative relationships
- help to identify county lines or criminal exploitation
