Missing Young People

• The supported lodgings Service must ensure that you are fully aware of and know how to implement this Missing procedure, and know that this procedure must be implemented alongside the relevant local Runaway and Missing from Home and Care Protocol from the local Safeguarding Children Partnership and the accommodating authority's policy in relation to young people going missing. You will also be made aware of the care and support you should provide to young people placed with you to help to reduce missing episodes, and of the steps you should take if young people do go missing;
• The support you provide to young people minimises the risk that they will go missing and reduces the risk of harm should the young person go missing. Young people must be helped to understand the dangers and risks of leaving the placement  without permission and be made aware of where they can access help if they consider running away;
• Young people who do go missing from placements will be protected as far as possible and must be responded to positively on their return;
• Young people who go missing will experience well-coordinated responses that reduce the harm or risk of harm to them. There will be a clear plan of urgent action in place to protect them and to reduce further harm or risk of harm;
• You should be aware of, and know not to exceed, the measures you can take to prevent a young person leaving without permission under current legislation and Government guidance. This Missing procedure is updated accordingly as that legislation and Government guidance changes. This procedure provides links to the relevant Statutory Guidance for ease of access for you;
• You and the supported lodging Service will take appropriate action to find young people who are missing, including working alongside the police where appropriate, and to protect young people who are absent from the placement without consent, but whose whereabouts are known;
• If a young person is absent from the placement and their whereabouts are not known (i.e. the young person is missing), you should act in accordance with this Missing procedure and with the local Runaway and Missing from Home and Care (RMFHC) protocols and procedures applicable to the area where the placement is located;
• Where young people placed out of authority go missing, the supported lodgings Service will follow the local RMFHC protocol, and comply with, and make you aware of, any other processes required by the accommodating authority, specified in the young person's Care Plan; 
• Where a young person goes missing and there is concern for their welfare, or at the request of a young person who has been missing, the supported lodgings Service will arrange a meeting in private between the young person and the accommodating authority to consider the reasons for their going missing. The supported lodging Service will consider with the accommodating authority and with you what action should be taken to prevent the young person going missing in future. Any concerns arising about you as the supported lodgings host or the placement will be addressed, as far as is possible, in conjunction with the accommodating authority;
• The supported lodging Service will liaise with and challenge the accommodating local authority as appropriate (for example when an independent return home interview is not offered or arranged by the local authority) and will take appropriate steps to escalate concerns;
• Parents, if it is appropriate, are made aware of incidents when the young person has been or is missing.

There are various different terms which are used in relation to missing children:

Statutory Guidance on Children Who Run Away or Go Missing From Home or Care (January 2014) uses the following definitions:

• Missing Young Person:
  
  A young person reported as missing to the police by their family or carers;
  
  
• Missing from Care:
  
  A looked after young person who is not at their placement or the place they are expected to be (e.g. school) and their whereabouts are not known;
  
  
• Away from Placement Without Authorisation:
  
  A looked after young person whose whereabouts are known but who is not at their placement or the place they are expected to be and the supported lodgings host has concerns or the incident has been notified to the local authority or the police;
  
  
• Young Runaway:
  
  A young person who has run away from their placement, or feels they have been forced or lured to leave.

The Police, as the lead agency for investigating and finding missing young people, will respond to young people going Missing or being Absent based on on-going risk assessments in line with current guidance and the College of Policing definition of missing and absent. The police will prioritise all incidents of missing young people as medium or high risk.

The police definitions of 'Missing' and 'Absent' are:

Missing

Anyone whose whereabouts cannot be established and where the circumstances are out of character or the context suggests the person may be subject of crime or at risk of harm to themselves or another'.

and

Absent

A person is not at a place where they are expected or required to be (and there is no apparent risk)'.

All young people must have a Placement Plan which takes account of any likely risk of the young person going missing. The Placement Plan should incorporate measures to reduce or prevent the young person becoming absent, and information that would help facilitate the location of the young person should they go missing.  As part of the referral, placement and ongoing planning process, consideration must be given to the risk of the young person becoming missing. If there is a risk, a plan must be drawn up to reduce or prevent it. See also Section 3.4, Specific Risks.

The Care Plan and the Placement Plan should include details of the arrangements that will need to be in place to keep the young person safe and minimise the risk of them going missing from their placement.

• The Care Plan – should include strategies to avoid unauthorised absences and/or a young person going missing. It should also include strategies to reduce the duration and risks associated if the young person does have unauthorised absences/go missing;
• The Placement Plan – should include strategies for preventing the young person from taking unauthorised absences/going missing;
• A pre-incident risk assessment should be completed for all young people for whom there is concern that they may run away. Distance from home, family and friends should be considered as a risk factor;
• The young person should be provided with advice about access to an independent Advocate and the child's views taken into account;
• Statutory reviews should consider any absences and revise strategies to prevent repeat absences and/or missing incidents and the Care Plan should be revised accordingly.

Where a young person already has an established pattern of running away, the Care Plan should include a strategy to keep the young person safe and minimising the likelihood of them running away in the future. This should be discussed and agreed as far as possible with the young person and with you.

Where there are child protection concerns relating to a young person and/or where the young person has gone missing from the placement or from any previous placement, the Placement Plan must include information agreed between the accommodating authority and the Service about the day-to-day arrangements put in place to keep the young person safe.

You should be proactive in providing a placement which promotes a feeling of security that aims to minimise the likelihood of the young person going missing. You will work with young people to educate them about the risks of going missing, help them where possible to identify trigger points and give them other alternatives in these particular circumstances. Your competence and support needs in responding to missing from care issues should be considered as part of your regular appraisal and supervision.

You should know when to try to prevent a young person leaving the home and should do so through dialogue, but you should not try to restrain the young person should they be intent on leaving, or in any other circumstances, unless it is necessary to prevent injury to the young person or others, or serious damage to property.

On a day to day basis, you should be alert to signs or indications that a young person may be likely to run away or become missing. If you suspect that this may happen, you should take any actions already agreed with the Supervising Worker and the young person's social worker, or do what you reasonably and safely can to reduce or prevent the young person from leaving - this includes circumstances where a young person is refusing to return to the home.

If the risk increases, you should contact the Supervising Worker or, if out of hours, the on-call social worker for advice.

If there is a serious risk e.g. the young person is behaving in a violent manner or threatening to damage property, you should contact the police, then contact the Supervising Worker at the first opportunity.

The planning process for each young person, including the likelihood of them becoming missing, must take account of any specific risk factors for each young person. These risk factors include, but are not limited to, the following:

Trafficking

Some looked after young people may be unaccompanied asylum seeking  or other migrant young people. Some young people in this group may have been trafficked into the UK and may remain under the influence of their traffickers even while they are looked after. Trafficked young people are at high risk of going missing, with most going missing within one week of becoming looked after and many within 48 hours. Unaccompanied migrant or asylum seeking young people who go missing immediately after becoming looked after, should be treated as young people who may be victims of trafficking. Young people who have been trafficked may be exploited for sexual purposes.

The location of the young person should not be divulged to any enquirers until their identity and relationship with the young person has been established, if necessary with the help of police and immigration services.

Grooming

Grooming is when someone builds an emotional connection with a young person to gain their trust for the purposes of sexual abuse or exploitation. Young people can be groomed online or in the real world, by a stranger or by someone they know - for example a family member, friend or professional. Groomers may be of any gender or age. Many young people don't understand that they have been groomed, or that what has happened is abuse.

Young people can be groomed for the purpose of sexual abuse as well as other forms of exploitation including involvement in criminal and extremist activity. Young people who are missing are more vulnerable to being groomed and may also go missing as a result of being groomed.

Protecting Young People at Risk of Radicalisation

Young people can suffer harm when exposed to extremist ideology.

Going missing is a risk factor in relation to radicalisation:

• A young person may go missing because they have already been radicalised;
• A young person's risk of being radicalised might increase because they are missing and are spending time with people who may seek to involve them in radical/extreme activities. The risk is heightened whilst they are missing, because the protective factors of family or care are not available to them.

Young People at Risk of Sexual Exploitation

A common feature of sexual exploitation  is that the young person does not recognise the coercive nature of the relationship and does not see themselves as a victim of exploitation.

Going missing is a significant risk factor in relation to sexual exploitation:

• A young person may go missing because they are being sexually exploited;
• A young person's risk of being sexually exploited might increase because they are missing and are spending time with people who may seek to involve them in sexual exploitation. The risk is heightened whilst they are missing because the protective factors of family or care are not available to them.

Young People at Risk of being Drawn into Offending Behaviour

Young people who go missing from care also need safeguarding against the risk of being drawn into offending behaviour by gangs or criminal groups.

If a young person is missing, you must contact your Supervising Worker or the supported lodgings Service’s Registered Person, unless there is an immediate serious risk to the young person or others, in which case, you should contact the police first. If the incident occurs out of normal office hours the On-Call/Out Of Hours Duty social worker/manager must be contacted.

The Supervising Worker/duty social worker or supported lodgings Service Registered Person will come to a decision about the actions that should be taken.

The social worker should decide whether to notify the parent(s) and, if so, who should do so.

When a young person does go missing this is a 'Notifiable Event' and by law this requires the supported lodgings Service to monitor and review all incidents of this nature. It is therefore a requirement that you inform the Supervising  Worker in the event that the young person leaves without permission. See Serious Events and Notifications – When I need to tell other people about things Procedure.

At no time should you pass any information to the press. All information should only be shared between the local authority, police and the supported lodgings Service Registered Person.

The police classification of a person as 'Missing' or 'Absent' will be based on on-going risk assessment. A young person whose whereabouts are known would not be treated as either 'Missing' or 'Absent' under the police definitions.

It is important to note that carers or others reporting a child missing to the police should not make the judgement themselves as to whether a child is missing or absent – this decision will be made by the police on the basis of the information provided. A child who is Absent may be at risk for example of child sexual or criminal exploitation, involvement in drugs, gangs, criminal activity, trafficking, forced marriage, female genital mutilation or radicalisation, and Police Risk Assessments should take account of those situations and may need to change the category to Missing.

Where a young person is recorded by police as being absent, the details will be recorded by the police, who will also agree review times and any on-going actions with you or another person reporting the absence. All persons recorded by police as Absent are monitored on the police system. Monitoring is ongoing and subject to regular reviews to ensure risk levels do not change. Where information comes to light which introduces any risk to that person, then the case may be re-categorised as 'Missing' and a police investigation started.

One of the overriding principles of 'Absent' is that police are able to focus resources more effectively, in accordance with the police risk assessments of 'Absent' and 'Missing' incidents. A young person who is Absent may still be at risk for example of sexual or criminal exploitation, involvement in drugs, gangs, criminal activity, trafficking, forced marriage, female genital mutilation or radicalisation, and the police risk assessment should reflect this.

The police will prioritise all incidents of Missing young people as medium or high risk.

A Missing young person incident would be prioritised as 'high risk' where:

• The risk posed is immediate and there are substantial grounds for believing that the young person is in danger through their own vulnerability; or
• The young person may have been the victim of a serious crime; or
• The risk posed is immediate and there are substantial grounds for believing that the public is in danger.

The high risk category requires the immediate deployment of police resources. Police guidance makes clear that a member of the senior management team or similar command level must be involved in the examination of initial enquiry lines and approval of appropriate staffing levels. Such cases should lead to the appointment of an Investigating Officer and possibly a Senior Investigating Officer and a Police Search Advisor. There should be a media strategy and/or close contact with outside agencies. Family support should be put in place. The UK Missing Persons Bureau should be notified of the case immediately and local authority children's services should also be notified.

A Missing young person incident would be prioritised as 'medium risk' where the risk posed is likely to place the subject in danger or they are a threat to themselves or others. This category requires an active and measured response by police and other agencies in order to trace the missing person and support the person reporting. This will involve a proactive investigation and search in accordance with the circumstances to locate the missing young person as soon as possible.

Section 17 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 provides police with powers to enter and search a premises such as for the purposes of saving life and limb or to arrest a person who has committed an offence.

The police can use the powers under Section 46(1) of the Children Act 1989 to remove a young person into police protection, for up to 72 hours, if they are likely to suffer significant harm. Early and effective sharing of information between professionals and local agencies is essential for the identification of patterns of risky behaviour. This may be used to identify areas of concern for a young person, or to identify 'hotspots' of activity in a local area.

Whenever the whereabouts of a young person are not known, preliminary checks should be carried out to see if the young person can be located. For example, if a young person was supposed to have returned home from school/college/training but has not arrived within the normal journey time, checks could include finding out if there are transport delays, phone calls to the young person, phone calls to the educational establishment to see if the young person has been delayed etc. If these initial checks do not succeed in locating the young person or there are still concerns that, despite contact being made with the young person they are at risk, the individuals and agencies listed below should be informed.

It is clearly important that a deadline is set at the outset of these initial checks so that they don't continue beyond a reasonable timeframe. What timeframe is reasonable should be based on an assessment of the risks relating to the individual young person. In some cases, there might be particular reasons to be worried for the young person's safety immediately and the agencies detailed below should be contacted straight away – this in conjunction with on-going attempts to contact the young person and find out why they aren't where they are supposed to be.

The individuals and agencies who should be contacted by the Service when a young person is missing or they are away from placement without authorisation:

• The local police;
• The accommodating authority responsible for the young person's placement – if they have not already been notified prior to the police being informed; and 
• The parents and any other person with parental responsibility, unless it is not reasonably practicable or to do so, or would be inconsistent with the young person's welfare;
• The Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO).

As a minimum requirement, all reports should include the following information: 

• The young person's name/s; date of birth; status; accommodating authority;
• Where and when they went missing;
• Who, if anyone, they went missing with;
• What was the young person wearing plus any belongings such as bags, phone etc.;
• Description and recent photo;
• Medical history, if relevant;
• Time and location last seen;
• Circumstances or events around going missing;
• Details of family, friends and associates;
• Updated risk assessment.

You should take all reasonable steps, which a good parent would take, to secure the safe and speedy return of the young person based on your own knowledge of the young person and the information in the young person's Placement Plan. If there is suspected risk of harm to the young person you should liaise immediately with the police.

Following initial discussions between the allocated young person's social care worker and the police, they should agree an immediate strategy for locating the young person and an action plan. This to include a range of actions to locate and ensure the safe return of the young person, including:

• Arrangements for attempts to be made to contact the young person on a daily basis by, for example, calling their mobile phone or the phones of friends or relatives that they may be with;
• The Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) should also try and contact the young person;
• Visiting their parents' address/es and of any friends or relatives with whom they may be staying;
• Police should consider requesting a trace on the young person's mobile phone and/or travel card.

Within 3 days, a missing from care meeting/ telephone discussion between relevant parties should take place and include the police, the young person's social worker and the provider. The action plan and risk assessment should be reviewed and updated.

• Missing from care meetings/discussions should be held at least monthly to update the action plan and share information;
• Any publicity will be led by the police, the use of harbouring notices etc. will be agreed at the missing from care meeting. Recovery Orders may be used;
• During the investigation to find the missing/run away young person, regular liaison and communication should take place between the police, the accommodating local authority children's social care services and the authority in the area where the supported lodgings placement is located (if an out of area placement) and any other agencies involved;
• The accommodating authority responsible for the young person should ensure that plans are in place to respond promptly once the young person is found and for determining if the placement remains appropriate.

You should take the following steps when a young person returns after such an event:

• Assess the young person's immediate needs i.e. offer something to eat, does the young person need a shower/bath and a clean change of clothes? Is there any need for medical treatment?
• Explain to the young person that you do not want them to go missing but they will be welcomed back to the household;
• Try to gain an insight into the young person's absence and what can be done to minimise its recurrence, although the point at which the young person returns may or may not be the best time to try to discuss the reasons why the young person has gone missing;
• Inform all relevant professionals i.e. police (unless they returned the young person), supported lodgings Service Registered Person, the young person's social worker and the independent reviewing officer that the young person has returned.

The supported lodgings Service will make arrangements for Safe and Well checks and Independent Return Review interviews:

Safe and Well Checks

Safe and well checks are carried out by the police as soon as possible after the young person has returned. Their purpose is to check for any indications that the young person has suffered harm, where and with whom they have been, and to give them an opportunity to disclose any offending by or against them.

Where a young person goes missing frequently, it may not be practical for the police to see them every time they return. In these cases a reasonable decision should be taken in agreement between the police and you as the supported lodgings host with regard to the frequency of such checks bearing in mind the established link between frequent missing episodes and serious harm, which could include gang involvement, forced marriage, maltreatment or abuse, bullying or sexual exploitation. The assessment of whether a young person might run away again should be based on information about:

• Their individual circumstances;
• Family circumstances and background history;
• Their motivation for running away;
• Their potential destinations and associates;
• Their recent pattern of absences;
• The circumstances in which the young person was found or returned; and
• Their individual characteristics and risk factors such as whether a young person has learning difficulties, mental health issues, depression and other vulnerabilities.

Independent Return Review

The independent return review is an in-depth interview and should be carried out by an independent professional (e.g. a social worker, tutor, health professional or police officer, not involved in caring for the young person and who is trained to carry out these interviews and is able). The young person should be seen on their own unless they specifically request to have someone with them. The young person should be offered the option of speaking to an independent representative or advocate. The IRO should be informed.

The accommodating local authority should ensure the return review interview takes place. It should be offered and provided within 72 hours of the young person being located or returning from absence, it should preferably take place in a neutral place where they feel safe.

The interview and actions that follow from it should:

• Identify and deal with any harm the young person has suffered – including harm that might not have already been disclosed as part of the 'Safe and Well check'– either before they ran away or whilst missing;
• Understand and try to address the reasons why the young person ran away;
• Help the young person feel 'safe'/understand that they have options, to prevent repeat instances of them running away;
• Understand what the young person would like to see happen next whether short term and/or long term;
• Gather your views of the circumstances, if appropriate;
• Provide the young person with information on how to stay safe if they choose to run away again, including helpline numbers.

It is especially important that the independent Return Review interview takes place when a young person:

• Has been reported missing on two or more occasions;
• Is frequently absent without authorisation;
• Has been hurt or harmed while they have been missing;
• Is at known or suspected risk of sexual exploitation or trafficking;
• Is at known or suspected risk of involvement in criminal activity or drugs;
• Has contact with persons posing risk to young people; and/or
• Has been engaged (or is believed to have engaged) in criminal activities during their absence.

Follow up

The local authority Children's Social Care services, police, supported lodgings Service and other agencies involved with the young person should work together to assess the young person and:

• To build up a comprehensive picture of why the young person went missing;
• What happened while they were missing;
• Who they were missing with and where they were found; and,
• What support they require upon returning home;
• Whether a statutory review of the Care Plan is required.

Where young people refuse to engage with the interviewer, you should be offered the opportunity to provide any relevant information and intelligence you may be aware of. This should help to prevent further instances of the young person running away and identify early the support needed for them.

Repeat Running Away

If a young person continually runs away actions following earlier incidents need reviewing and alternative strategies should be considered.

To reduce repeat running away and improve the longer-term safety of young people, the agencies involved may want to provide:

• Better access and timely independent return interviews, particularly for the most vulnerable;
• Safety planning with the young person;
• Better access to support whilst a young person is away, which may come from the voluntary sector.

There may be local organisations in the area that can provide repeat runaways with an opportunity to talk about their reasons for running away, and can link runaways with longer-term help if appropriate.