Ratified by Management Committee: January 2014
Review date: January 2016
Gloucestershire Joint
Protocol for children and young people who run away and go missing from home or Care
Contents Page
1. Introduction Page 2
2. Purpose Page 3
3. Background Page 3
4. Why Children Go Missing Page 4
5. Definitions Pages 5 & 6
6. Procedures for a Child Missing from Home
●Responsibility of Parents/Carers Page 6
●Agencies/Members of the Public Page 6
●Role of the Police Page 7 & 8
●Return of the Child Page 9
●Role of ASTRA Page 10
●Quick Reference Guide – Missing from Home Page 11
7. Missing from Care
●Prevention Page 12
●Risk Assessment Page 12
●Photographs Page 13
●Categories of Absence & Consequent Action Page 13
●When A Child Is Missing From Home and the
Role of the ‘Reporter’ Page 13
●Missing During an External Activity While in Care Page 14
●Looked After Children from Abroad Page 14
●Arranging For the Return of the Child/Young Person Page 15 & 16
●Quick Reference Guide – Missing from Care Page 17
8. Return Home Interviews Page 18 & 19
9. Monitoring and Responsibility for Children &
Young People Going Missing Page 20
10. Response to Escalating Concerns Page 20 - 23
11. Resolution of Professional Disagreements Page 23
Appendix 1 Page 24
Appendix 2 Page 25 – 32
Appendix 3 Page 33
1. Introduction
1.1 In June 2008 the DCSF published the Young Runways Action Plan. The plan was developed after evidence from The Children’s Society report Stepping Up and findings from a series of parliamentary hearings led by members of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Children who Run Away or Go Missing. It found that more needs to be done to support young people who run away from home and care
1.2 The Action Plan highlights the Government’s commitment to working with local authorities, the police and the voluntary sector to ensure that young people who run away, or who feel they have to leave, are kept safe, and receive the immediate and ongoing support they need.
1.3 In July 2009 the Department for Children, Schools and Families published statutory guidance on children who run away and go missing from home or care. This supports local authorities to meet the requirements of NI 71 ‘Children Missing from Home and Care' which was introduced to the national indicator set in April 2009. NI 71 is a self-assessment of to what extent Children's Trusts or LSCBs have a picture of 'running' patterns in their area; of how this information informs local service provision; and what procedures are in place to respond to the needs of young runaways
1.4 This protocol is important for the safeguarding of children young people and families across Gloucestershire, or those using services across the area. It should be read and implemented, where necessary, by all practitioners and managers working with children or young people who are at risk of going missing from home or care or who are already doing so.
1.5 It is intended that this protocol will assist in developing robust responses to running away, which mirror the good practice already established across Gloucestershire with regards to children and young people that run away. It should be used to engage partner agencies in developing preventative services for children and young people who are at risk of running away.
1.6 This protocol has been written jointly by members of the Missing from Home & Care steering group, with specific input from Gloucestershire County Councils Targeted Services, Children’s Services, Gloucestershire Constabulary and Gloucestershire’s Safeguarding Children Board. Gloucestershire Safeguarding Children’s Board will be responsible for ensuring an annual review of the effectiveness of all aspects of the protocol.
1.7 The most effective assessment and support comes through good information sharing, joint assessments of need, joint planning, and professional trust within the interagency network and joint action in partnership with families. Gloucestershire Safeguarding Children Board expects all agencies working with children or young people who are missing from home or care to implement this protocol and ensure that all relevant staff are aware of it and how to use it. It should be used in all new contacts with children and young people.
2. Purpose
2.1 This document has been produced in partnership with Gloucestershire County Council, National Health Services and Gloucestershire Constabulary. It applies to all agencies working with or accommodating children. It is intended that the application of this guidance will lead to a reduction in the total number of children reported missing in Gloucestershire and a reduction in the frequency of children going missing on more than one occasion. It will strengthen the working relationships between partner agencies involved in safeguarding children and reduce the harm suffered by them or caused to communities when they are missing. We will achieve our purpose by partnership working, information sharing, problem-solving and performance management.
3. Background
3.1 In 2009 Gloucestershire Constabulary received 1308 reports of missing persons for young people under the age of 18 years. A significant proportion of these young people tend to return home of their own accord or are quickly traced by police officers.
3.2 The Astra Project, Alternative Solutions To Running Away, received notification from Gloucestershire Constabulary of 540 individual missing reports in 2009. 101 of the young people represented in this group were reported missing on at least two occasions.
3.3 It has been estimated (West Mercia, Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, and Telford and Wrekin “Joint Protocol for reporting Missing Young People”, 2009) that investigations regarding Missing Persons conservatively cost at least £1,000 per investigation. However, it is the personal and social cost rather than financial cost which is of greatest concern with this group.
3.4 Children and young people who are absent from their home/care placement can be a matter of considerable concern to their parent/carer and there is a need to locate them and ensure they are safe as soon as possible. It is not helpful to consider every momentary absence as warranting a formal missing person report, and such instances should not be considered as unauthorised absences. At some point, depending upon the young person and the circumstances, their absence will give rise to justifiable concern and require a formal missing person report to the police. Whilst there can be no substitute for a considered judgement, based on a sound assessment of the young person and the circumstances, it is the purpose of this framework to assist parents, carers and workers to structure their thinking with regard to the absence.
4. Why Children Go Missing
4.1 The Children’s Society through its research has identified the following risk factors that can precede a missing incident:
• Arguments and conflicts
• Conflict within a placement
• Poor family relationships
• Physical and emotional abuse
• Boundaries and control
• Step parent issues
4.2 The immediate risks associated with going missing
Include:
• No means of support or legitimate income – leading to high risk activities
• Involvement in criminal activities
• Victim of abuse
• Alcohol/substance misuse
• Victim of crime, for example through sexual assault and exploitation
• Deterioration of physical and mental health
• Missing out on schooling and education
• Increased vulnerability
4.3 Longer-term risks include:
• Long-term drug dependency / alcohol dependency
• Crime
• Homelessness.
• Disengagement from education
• Child sexual exploitation
• Poor physical and/or mental health
4.4 Research and local data for Gloucestershire supports the above risk factors
This issue requires our very best attention if we are to protect our children from harm and exploitation and to avoid them becoming socially excluded.
5. Definitions
5.1 The following definitions apply to this protocol and relate to children who go, or have gone missing. The definition of running away is taken from the Social Exclusion Unit Young Runaways report (2002) and includes reference to young people who self-define running away as being forced to leave because, for example, they do not believe they have any alternative.
5.2 Child: A child or young person under the age of eighteen years with the exception of a former relevant child within the meaning of the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000; these young people continue to be the responsibility of the local authority up to the age of 21 (24yrs if in receipt of full time education).
5.3 Missing Person – ACPO Definition: “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.”
N.B. For the purposes of this protocol a missing child will be defined as one where the missing episode has been reported to the police and or recorded on the police compact database. Unauthorised absence is not a category of absence which should be reported to the Police. The responsibility for managing this category of absence lies with the manager of a residential care home or carer.
5.4 Runaway: The terms ‘young runaway’ and ‘missing’ in this context refers to children and young people up to the age of 18 who have run away from their home or care placement, have been forced to leave by their parents or carers, feel they have had to leave or whose whereabouts is unknown.
5.5 Looked After Child or Young Person: A child is looked after by a local authority if s/he is “in care” by reason of a court order, or if s/he is provided with accommodation for more than 24 hours by agreement with her/his parents or with the child if s/he is aged 16 or more. If the child is subject to a Care Order or Interim Care Order (Section 31 of the Children Act, 1989), then Children’s Services acquire parental responsibility and become a legal parent alongside the parent/guardian.
If the child is accommodated under S20 of the Children Act 1989, s/he is looked after by the Local Authority with the voluntary agreement of his/her parents, or with the child if s/he is over 16 years old. Parental responsibility remains with the parent/guardian.
5.6 Absconded: When a child or young person has gone missing who is subject to an order or requirement resulting from the criminal justice process (e.g. remands, curfews, tagging, conditions of residence, ASBOs) or a secure order made in either civil or criminal proceedings. A young person in this category must be reported to the police without delay. Police must be made aware of the order under which the child has been placed in the residence and the expiry date of the order for the child to be classified as an absconder. If the expiry date of the order is not known, the child or young person will be classified as a “missing person” not an absconder.
5.7 Sexual Exploitation: Sexual exploitation of children and young people under 18 involves exploitative situations, contexts and relationships where young people (or a third person or persons) receive something (e.g. food, accommodation, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, affection, gifts, money) as a result of them performing, and/or another or others performing on them, sexual activities.
6. Procedures for a Child Missing from Home
Responsibility of Parents/Carers
6.1 Parents and those with parental responsibility are expected to undertake the following basic measures to try to locate the missing child if considered safe to do so. Anyone else who has care of a child without parental responsibility should take all reasonable steps to locate the child and ascertain their safety. It is expected that the police will be informed without delay when a child goes missing. Before a child is
reported missing the following actions should be undertaken:
• Search bedroom/ accommodation/ outbuildings/ vehicles
• Contact known friends and relatives where child may be
• Visit locations that the child is known to frequent, if it is possible
6.2 The consent of a person with parental responsibility will be sought for a photograph to be used in any subsequent missing person investigation. If the most recent or only available photograph of the missing person is recorded on a mobile phone, it may be sent to the Gloucestershire Constabulary MMS number 07894 096536
Agencies / Members of the Public
6.3 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 social worker and the parents of their whereabouts and safety.
6.4 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.
6.5 If it comes to the attention of any agency that a child is missing, 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’s duty to ensure that the matter is reported to the police and if necessary follow this up by contacting the police to verify that the child has been reported missing.
Role of the Police
6.6 Police investigation - Management structure
Responsibility for leading and managing investigations into missing people lies with the Duty Inspector for each of the three Divisions of Gloucestershire Constabulary (The three Divisions are: Cheltenham and Tewkesbury; Forest and Gloucester; Cotswold and Stroud). There is a Duty Inspector on duty 24 hours a day in each territorial area. They can be contacted via the Force Control Room on 0845 090 1234.
6.7 Each Division also has a Missing Person Champion, an Inspector whose role is to keep an overview of missing person investigations, to make child welfare concern referrals and to attend case conferences for missing persons.
6.8 In addition, Gloucestershire Police have a lead officer for missing person investigations – an Inspector within the Public Protection Bureau who has strategic responsibility for this subject (01242 247955).
6.9 Police Investigation – Process
On receiving a report of a child or young person missing from care or home, Gloucestershire Constabulary will carry out enquiries to locate them as soon as possible. Each investigation will be tailored to the particular circumstances of the disappearance.