Missing children

In all missing persons cases it is advised that you first contact the police and file a missing persons report, listen to the police advice given and act accordingly.

Children who go missing from social services care invariably place themselves, and often others, at risk. The reasons for their absence are varied and complex and cannot be viewed in isolation from their home circumstances and their experiences of care. Every 'missing' episode should, therefore, attract property attention from the professionals involved with the child and those professionals, in turn, must collaborate to ensure a consistent and coherent response is given to the child on his/her return.

The police are frequent partners of social services in managing 'missing' episodes and it is, therefore, important that staff in both agencies work together. The following protocol should assist in this and combines aspects of Social Services and Police procedures in relation to missing persons such that, where they overlap or interface, respective actions and responsibilities are clear.