2.1.8 Children Missing from Home

AMENDMENT

This chapter was revised in January 2010. Section 2, Context includes reference to the Young Runaway's action plan and Section 6.3, Referrals revises referral arrangements.

Definition of a Child
Context
Definitions
Action to be taken if the Child/Young Person is Missing
Action to be taken whilst the Child/Young Person is Missing
Action to be taken when a Child/Young Person is Found
For Children Missing Education

Appendix A - Checklist

Appendix B - Missing Young People Operational Process Flowcharts

1. Definition of a Child

For the purpose of this document a child or young person equates to anyone under the age of 18 years.

2. Context

The Young Runaways Action Plan and Government Guidance published in 2009 requires a multi agency response to young people who go missing from Home or Care.

All agencies have a duty to protect people from significant harm. It is recognised that children who go missing are vulnerable and expose themselves to the risk of significant harm.

West Yorkshire Police Service has a duty to investigate reports of people going missing in order:

to establish whether the person has been the victim of a serious crime;

to establish whether the person has already come to harm;

to locate the person before they come to harm if they are at risk of significant harm;

to locate the person before they harm another if they pose a risk of significant harm to another.

3. Definitions

Agencies need to make an assessment of risk and attempt to establish the whereabouts of the child/young person before notifying the Police unless there is an obvious immediate risk of the child/young person suffering significant harm.

Based on the risk assessment and the circumstances of absence, agencies should consider whether the child/ young person is:

Missing; or
Temporary Absent

Factors that would assist an assessment of risk are in Appendix A - Checklist

Missing Person

A young person who is absent should be categorised as a missing person if their whereabouts is unknown and the circumstances indicate that ONE OR MORE of the following criteria apply:

there are suspicious circumstances;
it is out of character and/or difficult to explain;
the circumstances indicate that the young person has already come to harm;
the circumstances indicate that it is NOT a deliberate or careless absence;
the young person is NOT expected to return AND the circumstances indicate that they are NOT temporarily staying at the home of a relative, friend or associate AND they are NOT expected to be easily located;
they are at IMMINENT risk of being exposed to significant harm
they pose an IMMINENT risk of significant harm to another person

Temporary Absent

A young person who is absent should be categorised as 'temporary absent' if their whereabouts is unknown and the circumstances indicate that the following criteria apply:

they have deliberately or carelessly absented themselves; AND either:
	they are expected to return of their own accord; they have gone home (if gone absent from a different location); they are temporarily staying at the home of a relative, friend or associate; or they are expected to be easily located; AND
they are not expected to suffer or cause significant harm whilst absent.

4. Action to be taken if the Child/Young Person is Missing

If any organisation within the LSCB considers a child or young person to be missing they should:

Inform the Police or contact the parent or person with parental responsibility for them to contact the police
If it is the latter they should ensure this has occurred by checking with the Divisional Missing Person Co-ordinator or local police if the co-ordinator is not available.
Record what has been done.

If the missing child is the subject of a Child Protection Plan, of a Child Protection Enquiry or of an initial or Core Assessment, in addition to notifying the Police, the Department of Services to Children and Young People must be notified immediately. The team holding the case would then:

Inform the Child Protection Unit
Inform the local agencies who know the child and where the child is subject to a Child Protection Plan, all members of the Core Group.
The Social Worker should notify the Designated Nurse (where the child has a Child Protection Plan)

5. Action to be taken whilst the Child/Young Person is Missing

5.1 Responsibility for Investigation

The police will take responsibility for the investigation to locate the child/ young person.

Other agencies should fully co-operate and assist the police during this investigation.

5.2 Strategy Meetings

Once a child/ young person has been missing for over 7 consecutive days or causes significant concern due to risk factors, a strategy meeting should be held. This would be organised by the police and include agencies involved with the child and the Department of Services to Children and Young People. The strategy meeting will:

review the action taken so far;
identify what action now needs to be taken and timescales;
identify the most appropriate person to interview the child/ young person when found; (and)
consider whether to notify the Benefit Agencies;
consider whether it appropriate and safe to return them to their home address.

If the child meets any of the criteria described in 4.2 the relevant Children and Families Team should convene a strategy meeting within 72 hours.

If any information is gathered during the course of enquiries which indicates a child or young person will be at risk on their return home the Police and Children's Service Department must be informed immediately so they may take appropriate action.

6. Action to be taken when a Child/Young Person is Found

6.1 Police Return Interview

The Police will visit a child who has been Missing from Home to ascertain:

the child is safe and well;
why they went missing;
if there are concerns regarding their welfare;
where the child was during the period missing.

6.2 Further Strategy Meeting

If the child was subject to a strategy meeting whilst absent, a further strategy meeting should be convened to consider:

immediate safety issues;
what the child has said in interview and whether further interviews are needed;
the risks the child/ young person were exposed to whilst absent;
whether to instigate a Section 47 enquiry;
what interventions are necessary to reduce the likelihood of the young person going absent again and reduce the risks they are likely to face if they do go absent.

6.3 Referrals

If the child was not subject to a strategy meeting the Police should make a referral to:

to the Department of Services to Children and Young People if they consider there are child protection issues
to the Barnardos Turnaround scheme . They will follow up referrals for children under 13 or at risk of Child Sexual Exploitation (See West Yorkshire Consortium Procedures, 5.7b Safeguarding Children and Young People from Sexual Exploitation - Bradford). They will forward children over 13 to Connexions for follow up.

If there is a referral to Connexions the Co-ordinator would then either allocate the case to the relevant Connexions Misper Link PA or send as information to the child/young persons School PA. See Appendix B - Missing Young People Operational Process Flowcharts.

If there is a referral to Turnaround the manager would allocate this to a scheme worker who would contact the child and their family.

6.4 Regular Missing Persons

Where a child/ young person repeatedly goes missing, the Police Divisional Missing Person Co-ordinator should arrange a multi-agency strategy meeting to:

agree a pre-risk assessment;
agree a reporting strategy;
agree enquiries that other agencies should conduct if the child/ young person goes missing again;
agree the enquiries the police should conduct;
agree a return interview strategy; and
agree a partnership preventative action plan to reduce the likelihood of the young person going absent again and reduce the risks they are likely to face if they do go absent.

7. For Children Missing Education

See West Yorkshire Consortium Procedures, 5.13 Children Missing from Education.

Appendix A - Checklist

Below is a checklist of factors to be considered in undertaking an initial risk assessment there may be others factors that could be relevant to individual cases.

Initial Risk Assessment

This checklist is intended to assist with identifying whether there is any significant apparent risk to the child/ young person to support the decision as to whether the child/ young person fits into the category of unauthorised absence or missing.

FACTOR		YES	NO
1.	Is there any information that the person is likely to cause self-harm or attempt suicide?
2.	Is the person suspected to be subject of a crime in progress, e.g. abduction?
3.	Is the person under 16 or, if aged between 16 and 18, vulnerable due to other factors?
4.	Are there inclement weather conditions that would seriously increase risk to health?
5.	Does the missing person need essential medication or treatment not readily available to them?
6.	Does the missing person have any physical illness, disability or mental health issues?
7.	Do you believe that the person may not have the physical ability to interact safely with others or in an unknown environment e.g. visually impaired, Downs Syndrome?
8.	Has the person been involved in a violent, homophobic and/or racist incident or confrontation immediately prior to disappearance?
9.	Has the person been the subject of bullying?
10.	Has the person previously disappeared AND suffered or been exposed to harm?
11.	Is the behaviour out of character and likely to be an indicator of them being exposed to harm?
12.	Is it anticipated that the person may go to stay with a person or at a location that will expose them to a significant risk of harm due to drugs/ violence or sexual abuse?

Appendix B - Missing Young People Operational Process Flowcharts

Click here to view Operational Process Flowcharts and Misper Service Contact Details

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