Missing or out of contact client

Going missing is a dangerous activity. A child or young person who goes missing just once faces the same immediate risks as faced by a child or young person who regularly goes missing. However, children who go missing when they are young (and/or more frequently) are more likely to face longer-term problems.

In all cases where children are missing, it is advised that you first contact the police, listen to the police advice given and act accordingly.

For full information on responding to children who go missing, see Bury Safeguarding Children Board multi-agency protocol in the downloads on the right. There is also a procedure in relation to Sexual Exploitation and Social Care's Missing From Home Procedure.

The following highlights the main action steps to be taken by parents, carers and staff in response to children who are missing or have gone missing from home and care.

1. Definitions

Missing Person: A missing person is anyone whose whereabouts are unknown, whatever the circumstances of disappearance. He or she will be considered missing until located and his or her well-being, or otherwise, established.

Unauthorised absence: Where a young person aged 13 and over is absent for a short period of time and after a careful and thorough risk assessment the absence does not raise concern for the young person's immediate safety or that of the public. In accordance with the Association of Chief Police Officer's Guidance, this period of absence should not exceed 6 hours (the maximum length of time they may not be classified as Missing if their whereabouts are not known; in most cases a shorter duration is appropriate).

2. Missing from home address

2.1 Responsibility of the alerter: parents/carers

Parents and carers are expected to undertake the following basic measures to try and locate their child if considered safe to do so:

Search bedroom/ house/ outbuildings/ vehicles
Contact known friends and relatives where child may be
Visit locations that the child is known to frequent, if it is possible and safe to do so

Parents and anyone who has care of a child without parental responsibility should take all reasonable steps to locate the child/ young person and ascertain their safety. It is reasonable for parents to inform the police and Children's Services that the child is missing.

Anyone who has care of a child without parental knowledge or agreement should also do what is reasonable to safeguard and promote the child's welfare. In these circumstances, they should inform the police, Children's Services and the parents of a child/ young person of their whereabouts and safety. If this is not complied with, the police should consider advice or warning under the Child Abduction Act 1984, if it is appropriate.

Anyone who 'takes or detains' a runaway under 16 years old without lawful authority may be prosecuted under Section 2 of the Child Abduction Act 1984. An Abduction Warning Register is being created by the Manchester Police Divisions and subjects of this register will have a warning signal placed on their Police National Computer record.

Children who go missing under the age of 16 years old are not legally considered as being able to live independently away from home. For children over the age of 16 years old, consideration should be given to their physical and emotional needs when making a judgment as to whether they can live independently away from home.

2.2 All agencies / members of the public

If it comes to the attention of any agency (including voluntary organisation) that a young person is missing from home, they must advise the parent / carer of their need to report this matter to the police. They also need to advise the parent of the agency/ organisation's duty to ensure that the matter is reported to the police and if necessary follow this up by contacting the police to verify the reporting by the parent / carer has occurred. The consent of a person with parental responsibility will be sought for a photograph to be used in any subsequent missing person investigation. If possible the consent of the child/ young person should be gained.

2.3 Role of the Police

The police will refer all missing children to the Advice and Assessment Team, Social Care, Children's Services. If the information is provided out-of-hours and some immediate action is required from Children's Services, the Police will contact Bury's Emergency Duty Team (EDT). If no immediate action is required then the police will notify the Advice and Assessment Team within 1 working day of the child going missing. The information provided will include their assessment of risk, history of going missing and, for those who have returned, any identified needs and vulnerabilities apparent from the police return interview. The police will "flag" those cases where a Missing From Home strategy meeting is required.

2.4 Children's Services

Social Care will provide any relevant information they have about the child/ young person. In every case where, following consultation with the police, the level of risk to the child is deemed to be HIGH the matter must be immediately brought to the attention of a Service Manager and the police Divisional Commander or their nominees. They will then decide upon further action and consider the need to inform the Assistant Director for Social Care, Children's Services.

2.5 Role of Emergency Duty Team (EDT)

If the information that a child is missing, and assessed by the police as high risk, is provided out of hours, then EDT must inform a Service Manager and they must consider the need to inform the Assistant Director for Social Care, Children's Services.

The police will only refer missing children to EDT when either they have been assessed as high risk, or if they have been found and it is assessed to be inappropriate that they return home.

When foster carers notify EDT about looked after children who go missing, EDT must notify the relevant social worker by the next working day. If the social worker is unavailable, they must notify the Team Manager.

See also Section 5 on when missing child/ young person is located or returns.

3. Missing from care

3.1 Planning before the event

The Care Plan

Prior to each accommodation arrangement for a looked after child, the social worker must consider within the care planning process all potential risks to the child including an assessment of the potential for them to go missing. The child and her/his parent/carer (if appropriate) should be involved in the assessment and planning process. Missing from home episodes prior to the child becoming "looked after" need to be taken into account during the assessment and care planning.

All relevant information should be included in the placement plan and in the child's care plan. Where there is a risk of a child going missing, the placement plan and care plan should include intervention strategies to prevent the child from going missing. A Missing From Care Risk Assessment and Action Plan should be completed which details action to be taken by carers and prevention strategies. See template - Appendices in both BSCB protocol and Social Care procedures).

The risk assessment includes:

• what is the risk that the child or young person might go missing?
• what risks might the child or young person or public face if they do go missing?
• with whom is it permissible for them to stay overnight and in what circumstances? (see Appendix 2)

It is important not to dismiss the significance of multiple episodes of running away or going missing by a child or young person. It should be noted that children who repeatedly go missing are at greater risk of vulnerability.

Photographs

Should a child go missing it is vital to the safe recovery of the child that a recent photograph of the child is made available. The photograph must be a good likeness of the child, and the date the photograph was taken should be endorsed on the back of it to identify its relevance to the enquiry. The photograph will be used by the police to help them identify the child or young person whilst conducting enquiries. In very serious cases, where the child is believed to be at severe risk, the police and local authority may decide to use the photograph more widely, including publishing the photograph to national or local media and circulation on the Police/ICMEC website.

On admission to care, the consent of a person with parental responsibility will be sought for a photograph to be used in any subsequent missing person investigation. If possible the consent of the child should be gained.

The children's home manager/foster carer should consider the most appropriate ways to meet the above requirements and should ensure that the child is made aware of what will happen if they go missing, including their right to be interviewed by an independent person on or prior to their return, and be given a choice as to who that may be. For children and young people looked after by Bury they should be given information leaflets and contact details of Bury Children's Rights Services. The expectation is that for children and young people in Bury but looked after by other Local Authorities that they will access both advocacy services and be offered an independent interview from their home area.

3.2 Responsibilities of the Alerter

Principles - acting as a good parent

When a child or young person goes missing from care it is expected that carers will act in the capacity as a 'good parent'. They should act to encourage him/her to return as quickly and safely as possible, ensuring s/he is treated positively on return.

This means that:

• Every reasonable effort will be made to locate the child/ young person, both prior to them being reported to the police and throughout the enquiry.
• Children and young people will not be reported missing as a behaviour management tool.
• On return, children/ young people will be given care and support with their immediate needs being met i.e. offered a hot drink, food and medical attention.
• Children and young people will be given the opportunity to talk about their experiences and their concerns taken seriously.
• When the child or young person returns other than with a police officer, the police must be informed that the child has been located.

Categories of Absence and Consequent Action

The categories of absence and consequent actions are outlined below:

Deciding whether it is an "Unauthorised Absence"

There are a number of situations where young people will be considered absent without authority, most commonly when young people are accidentally or deliberately late home to the placement or when their whereabouts are known and do not jeopardise their safety or well-being. Here, as with lateness, it is not usually expected that the first response of a carer will be to report the young person as missing to the police. Before doing so, the carer should, within the constraints of the care setting, take the steps a responsible parent would take to try to locate the young person and persuade them to return.

If the young person's whereabouts are not known:

• Aged over 12: the carer should check the Missing From Home Risk Assessment and Action Plan. If this specifically allows the young person to be classed as "unauthorised absent" for a limited period of time, then follow the agreed action plan UNLESS there are specific current circumstances that give rise to heightened concern (e.g. the circumstances and causation factors that led to the absence, insofar as they impact upon risk to the young person). If in any doubt, report the young person missing to the Police.If there is no Missing From Home Risk Assessment or if the Risk Assessment does not specifically address this situation, then the young person MUST be reported as Missing to the Police. A young person with learning difficulties should be considered in relation to their level of functioning, not their chronological age.
• Aged 12 and under: Any child or young person 12 years old or under whose whereabouts are unknown will automatically be classed as missing and must be reported to the police immediately.

If the young person's whereabouts are known:

The carer should refer to the Missing From Home Risk Assessment and Action Plan in relation to the action they need to take. This will inform the decision whether to allow the young person to remain at that location temporarily or to arrange for their return (foster carers should refer this to the child's Social Worker or the Emergency Duty Worker to make a decision). If the Action Plan is not available and the risks at the address not known, then they should contact the Police to request assistance in returning the child.

Where, initially, the decision was made that this absence should be regarded as "unauthorised" rather than "missing" (i.e. does not fall within this procedure) this decision will be reviewed every hour throughout the period of unauthorised absence (to a maximum of 6 hours) if the young person does not return or his/her whereabouts are not known.

If such a period of absence continues for 6 hours it will automatically be considered to fall within these procedures. This does not mean that the initial report should be delayed for 6 hours. This is the maximum period; and in most situations much shorter periods will be appropriate. (ACPO Manual of Guidance on the Management, Recording and Investigation of Missing Persons 2005).

Arranging for the return of the child/young person

The Social Worker/EDT should assist carers in ensuring the child's safe return when necessary. Every effort should be made to have the young person returned to their placement without police involvement. However, Police assistance should be sought if there are safety issues, or if risks at the location are not known.

Police Powers

Police powers are limited and difficulties can arise when missing children are found but do not want to return to their placement. Any decision to use Police powers should be made in conjunction with the relevant Service Manager and where appropriate with the relevant manager from the Private Care Provider.

If the child is subject to a care order and refuses to return voluntarily with the agent of the care provider, then police assistance may be requested.

For children who are Accommodated, where there is reasonable cause to believe that the child could suffer significant harm, the Police can take the child into Police protection and remove the child to suitable accommodation which could include the home from which the child originally went missing.

For children who are subject to a Care Order or Emergency Protection Order, an application for a Recovery Order (section 50 of the Children Act 1989) may be considered.

If the child is missing

The decision to report a child as missing should not be taken in isolation, staff should consult with the senior staff member on duty and foster carers should liaise with the child's social worker or Emergency Duty Team staff. If no Social Care staff can be contacted, and there is a high level of anxiety the foster carer should contact the police. Any decision should incorporate information from the child's missing risk assessment. The situation should be kept under constant review and changes in circumstances taken into account.

Reporting missing children

If the child or young person is missing from a residential placement, the relevant staff member, i.e. residential child care worker, child's social worker, duty social worker, will as soon as practical inform:

• the Police and
• the child/young person's parents/and those with parental responsibility.

If the child is missing from a foster placement, the foster carer must inform the Police and the child's social worker/Duty social worker, or the Emergency Duty Team if out of hours. The Social Worker will then inform the parents.

Whilst notifying the police of the absence of a child or young person is an essential part of the overall process, carers should take all the steps that they can to attempt to locate the missing child/young person, including searches of the residence, immediate searches of the local area, where possible, and making enquiries with the family and friends, when appropriate.

It is recognised that the Police will categorise the risk upon attending the residence from which the child or young person has been reported missing, taking into account other factors that are not directly associated with the child. This categorisation will inform the level of police resource allocated to the recovery of the child.

In every case where, following consultation with the police, the level of risk to the child is deemed to be HIGH the matter must be immediately brought to the attention of the Service Manager of the Safeguarding Unit (if out of hours, EDT must notify a Service Manager) and the police to notify the Divisional Commander or their nominees. They will then decide upon further action and consider the need to inform the Assistant Director for Social Care, Children's Services.

The Emergency Duty Team (EDT) should always be informed by the Social Worker (or CCW/Foster Carer at weekends and out -of-hours) of all those who are missing for a period of 24 hours.

4. Conducting the missing person investigation

Greater Manchester Police (GMP)

Upon receiving a report of a child being absent from care or missing from home, GMP will carry out enquiries (which are proportionate to the perceived risk) aimed at locating the child as soon as possible.

Whilst missing persons aged under 18 years old are automatically classified as "Vulnerable Missing Persons", this is not an indication of risk.

A risk assessment will be carried out for each individual on every separate occasion they are reported missing to the police. This risk assessment, conducted by the Initial Investigating Officer, and subsequently confirmed or revised by his or her supervising officer will form the basis for the subsequent investigation into the person's disappearance.

Publicity/ media strategy

It is the responsibility of the police to advise the media regarding any missing child.

Whether the child is missing from public sector or private care providers, the decision to publicise by press and/or television will always be made in consultation with the child's social worker and the Assistant Director for Social Care, Children's Services. However, GMP reserve the right to publicise the child if there are serious concerns for the welfare of that child.

5. Missing child/young person is located or returns

Role of the Police- Initial Actions and Assessments

The police will conduct a "Safe and Well" return interview for ALL children reported missing. This is a face-to-face interview, conducted by an appropriately trained police officer.

The locating agency should ensure that on the child's return, his/her medical condition is discussed with the child and his/her parents/carers immediately and an offer made to arrange medical attention if necessary.

The Police will refer all "found" children who have run away from home or care placement to the Advice and Assessment Team, Social Care within a maximum of 3 working days of the child being found; this will include information from the "Safe and Well" return interview and the police risk assessment.

Role of Social Care - Initial Actions and Assessments

All children who have an allocated worker from Social Care must be visited by their worker within 3 working days and must be offered the opportunity to speak to an independent person from Bury Children's Rights Missing From Home Service. The child's allocated worker must ensure that Bury Children's Rights Service are made immediately aware of any missing episode and discuss how best the child/young person should be approached.

For all other children who are not looked after, they will be offered a return interview by Bury Children's Right's Missing From Home Service. For children who are placed in Bury but another Local Authority has case responsibility, the expectation is for the placing Authority to arrange their own return interview.

The return interview

The interview should take place within 3 working days and its purpose is to ascertain sensitively:

• the reason why the child went missing, if there are concerns regarding their safety or welfare
• if any concerns exist regarding the activity or treatment of the young person whilst absent
• what supports can be given to assist them to reduce the risk of going missing again/be safe.

Confidentiality must be respected unless there are welfare, child protection or serious criminal issues.

If any information is gathered during the course of enquiries which indicates a child is at risk on their return home, or there are any other child protection concerns, the Advice and Assessment team/current Social Worker (if open case) or EDT must be informed immediately. A strategy discussion/ meeting should be held, and, if necessary an investigation undertaken to ensure that it is safe for the child to return to their placement/parental home. If out of hours, young people who need emergency accommodation must be placed appropriately, and the location of each placement recorded. EDT must refer immediately to the Advice and Assessment Team.

Actions concerning children assessed as medium or high risk

The Advice and Assessment Team, Social Care will complete an Initial Assessment on all Bury children assessed by the police as being at medium or high risk (unless already allocated to Social Care). However if the risk at the point of the child's return is deemed to be low, there is discretion for the Team Manager to decide an Initial Assessment is not necessary.
The Initial Assessment will need to include consideration of the predisposing, precipitating and maintaining factors in relation to the young person going missing, and what services may be appropriate to address risks and difficulties. The Initial Assessment should identify the level of need and risk that exists; it will inform whether a child protection investigation is needed or whether services can be provided on a "child in need" basis, or whether additional more targeted services are needed, e.g. from "Connect4 Families" (the Child In Need Team).

Actions concerning children assessed as low risk

The independent return interview may indicate that the child and family require additional support to meet the child's needs and prevent further episodes. The Common Assessment Framework (CAF) will assist with identifying additional needs and ensuring a support package is in place to reduce the risk of future episodes. The CAF should be completed by the lead professional if there is one already involved with the child. If there is no lead professional, the Missing From Home worker will complete the CAF and at a subsequent child in need meeting the lead professional should be identified.

Strategy meetings

Missing From Home Strategy meetings should take place in the event of repeated episodes of children going missing from home and care, to which the police and other involved professionals are invited. The meeting should be held within a week of the last trigger episode. The meetings should be chaired and recorded and the increased levels of concern reflected in the seniority of those attending as follows:

After three Missing From Home/ Care episodes within a 30 day period or one episode of three or more days; Social Worker (Chair), local police officer / Police Divisional MFH SPOC, residential worker or foster carer and family placement worker (when appropriate) should attend. This meeting, using information from all available Social Care and Police assessments, should try to identify any 'push' or 'pull' factors as well as any other agencies that could provide support. In the case of 'pull factors' it may be necessary to target those in the community who harbour the missing person or exploit them with regards to crime, sex or drugs. The meeting should also establish which other agencies are already involved in working with the child, and make plans for joint working. A routine check will be made to ascertain if the young person is known to the Protect Team (Multi-agency team to address sexual exploitation based in Manchester's Grey Mare Lane Police Station). If Sexual Exploitation is suspected, the BSCB Sexual Exploitation procedure should be followed and a Sexual Exploitation Meeting held, chaired by an Independent Reviewing Officer at the Safeguarding Unit.

A review date should be identified within 3 months.

After seven Missing From Home / Care episodes within a 30 day period or one episode of seven or more days

Independent reviewing officer (Chair), team manager from Children's Services, police divisional SPOC/Divisional SMT representative, children's home manager/family placement manager (as appropriate), representative from health and/or education should attend. Meetings at this level should only be required for a small number of children provided that the protocol has been followed with regard to earlier intervention meetings and return interviews. In addition to seeking to reduce future missing episodes and reduce any apparent risks to the child, this meeting should also quality assure compliance with the protocol and the efficiency of earlier intervention meetings and return interviews. It is recognised that there will be some children who go missing repeatedly within a short period of time where this level of intervention will immediately apply.

At this stage a report about the case should be forwarded to the Police Divisional Missing From Home Champion as the case will feature in the quarterly report on missing children.

If the child continues to be reported missing beyond this level the senior management team for Children's Services and police should discuss the case and consider whether it is appropriate for them to intervene further or for the Assistant Chief Constable (or their nominated representative)/Director of Children's Services to be asked to intervene.

Other risk factors demanding escalated interventions include:

• Any case where the risk involved, in even a single future missing episode, is very high
• Cases where it has been identified that immediate action is necessary to ensure the well being of the person.

Missing children from other Local Authorities

When it is identified that a child from another Local Authority has gone missing, the placing Authority should be notified. This will usually be undertaken by Advice and Assessment Team or EDT if police have notified the latter out of hours when action is required.

It is expected that the home authority will convene their own "missing from home" strategy meetings. If several young people have gone missing together and a number of different Local Authorities involved, these authorities can negotiate with Bury Safeguarding Unit for them to chair the strategy meeting.

6 Key contacts

Bury Police - reporting line: 0161-872-5050.
Bury Children's Rights Missing From Home Service: 0161-253-6339.

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