Missing from Home or Care

1. Introduction and Definitions

Introduction

Children running away and going missing from care and home is a key concern for Social Care. Current research findings estimate that 25 per cent of children and young people, who go missing are likely to suffer significant harm. There are specific concerns about the links between children running away and the risks of sexual exploitation. Many looked after children (LAC) missing from their placements are vulnerable to sexual and other exploitation, especially children in residential care.

This procedure has been written to apply to both Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council.

Definitions

Based on the ‘Statutory guidance on children who run away or go missing from home or care’ (DfE 2014) the definitions which should be used when working with children, young people and their families are set out as follows:

• Child: anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday. ‘Children’ and ‘young people’ are used throughout this guidance to refer to anyone under the age of 18;
• Missing child: a child reported as missing to the Police by their family or carers;
• Responsible local authority: the local authority that is responsible for a looked after child’s care and care planning;
• Host local authority: the local authority in which a looked after child is placed when placed out of the responsible local authority’s area;
• Missing from care: a looked after child 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 child whose whereabouts are known but who is not at their placement or place they are expected to be and the carer has concerns or the incident has been notified to the local authority or the Police.

2. Cambridgeshire Police

Cambridgeshire Police will class any young person under the age of 18 whose whereabouts are not known as ‘Missing’. They do not operate an ‘absent’ category as some other forces do.

It is important to note that professionals or others reporting a child missing to the Police, should not make the judgement themselves as to whether a child is missing. This decision will be formally made by the police on the basis of the information provided.

Risk Assessment

The Police will prioritise all incidents of missing children as medium or high risk.

A missing child incident would be prioritised as ‘high risk’ where:

• The risk posed is immediate and there are substantial grounds for believing that the child is in serious danger through their own vulnerability; or
• The child 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.

A missing child 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 child as soon as possible.

The Police will carry out a ‘Safe and Well’ check with a ‘missing’ child following their return. Their purpose is to check for any indications that the child has suffered harm, where and with whom they have been, and to give the child an opportunity to disclose any offending against them.

3. Legal Powers

The Police can use their powers under Section 46(1) of the Children Act 1989 to remove a child into Police Protection if they at immediate risk of suffering significant harm. Police Protection lasts up to 72 hours and Social Care may need to consider applying for an Emergency Protection Order before it expires. Police Protection should not be used as an alternative to applying for an Emergency Protection Order where this is practicable at the time.

Section 17, Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, provides the Police with powers to enter and search a premises in certain circumstances, notably for the purposes of saving life and limb or to arrest without warrant a person who has committed an indictable offence or certain other listed offences under the section. Section 24 of the same Act provides Police the power of summary arrest for any offence subject to certain provisions notably, ‘to protect a child or other vulnerable person from the person in question’. The Police can sometimes issue a Child Abduction Warning Notice (CAWN) to someone who is believed to have a missing child in their care. This applies to all children under 16, and those LAC on care orders up to 18.

Social Care can apply to the Court for a Recovery Order under Section 50 of the Children Act 1989 where the child is subject to an Interim or full Care Order and it is clear that the child is not in immediate danger of significant harm.

Sharing information to locate a child who is Looked After, subject to a Child Protection Plan or a Child in Need.

The local authority should consult with the Police regarding situations where a missing child is Looked After, subject to a Child Protection Plan or a Child in Need. This should include an assessment of whether to release information to the media. Social Care should also notify other local authorities according to degree of concern and consideration should also be given to whether the child or their family has links to other areas in the United Kingdom.

On receipt by MASH of a notification from another local authority of a missing child, a Contact must be created on ICS and consideration should be given to notifying health and other relevant partners.

4. Specific Risks

Homeless 16 – 17 year olds

When a 16 or 17 year old runs away or goes missing they are no less vulnerable than younger children and are equally at risk, particularly of sexual exploitation or involvement with gangs.

When a 16 -17 year old presents as homeless, Social Care must assess their needs as for any other child. Where this assessment indicates that the young person is in need and requires accommodation under Section 20 of the Children Act 1989, they will usually become looked after.

Trafficking

Some of the children who local authorities look after may be unaccompanied asylum seeking children or other migrant children. Some children 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 children 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 children, who go missing immediately after becoming looked after, should be treated as children who may be victims of trafficking. Children, who have been trafficked, may be exploited for sexual purposes and the link to sexual exploitation should be addressed in conjunction with Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Safeguarding Children Board, Children who may have been Trafficked (see also Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Safeguarding Children Board, Child Sexual Exploitation).

National Referral Mechanism. Where a child displays indicators that they may have been trafficked, whether from overseas or within the UK the social worker, in consultation with their manager, should refer the case to the relevant competent authority by submitting a National Referral Mechanism Referral Form. Decision making following the receipt of such a referral will normally follow discussions with the Police, the person making the referral and may involve other professionals and services.

Grooming

Grooming is when someone builds an emotional connection with a child to gain their trust for the purposes of sexual abuse or exploitation. Children and 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 male or female. They could be any age. Many children and young people do not understand that they have been groomed, or that what has happened is abuse.

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

Protecting Children at Risk of Radicalisation

Children and young people can suffer harm when exposed to extremist ideology. This harm can range from a child adopting or complying with extreme views which limit their social interaction and full engagement with their education, to children being groomed for involvement in violent attacks.

Going missing is a risk factor in relation to radicalisation:

• A child may go missing because they have already been radicalised;
• A child’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.

Professionals should always assess whether a child who has gone missing is at risk of radicalisation.

Children at risk of Sexual Exploitation (CSE)

The sexual exploitation of children involves exploitative situations, contexts and relationships where the young person (or third person/s) 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. Violence, coercion and intimidation are common.

Involvement in exploitative relationships is characterised by the child’s or young person’s limited availability of choice as a result of their social, economic or emotional vulnerability (see Child Exploitation Strategy).

A common feature of CSE is that the child or 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 child may go missing because they are being sexually exploited;
• A child’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.

Because there is such a strong link between children going missing and risk of sexual exploitation, professionals should always assess whether a child who has gone missing is being sexually exploited or at risk of being sexually exploited.

County Lines

The County Lines strategy aims to identify and disrupt drug-related and violent offending which develops and exploits a network of often vulnerable people throughout the country. Concerns that a child or young person is going missing or is being exploited should always consider the possibility that they have become involved in such activity and this should be discussed with the Police. (see Child Exploitation Strategy)

Children at risk of being drawn into offending behaviour

Children and young people who go missing from care, home and education also need safeguarding against the risk of being drawn into offending behaviour by gangs or criminal groups.

Children at risk of being radicalised

Radicalisation is defined as the process by which people come to support terrorism and violent extremism and, in some cases, to then participate in terrorist groups or acts.

There is no obvious profile of a person likely to become involved in extremism or a single indicator of when a person might move to adopt violence in support of extremist ideas. The process of radicalisation is different for every individual and can take place over an extended period or within a very short time frame. Concerns that a child or young person is going missing or is being exploited should always consider the possibility that they have become involved in such activity.

(See Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Safeguarding Children Board, Supporting Children and Young People Vulnerable to Violent Extremism).

5. Recording Requirements

Cambridgeshire

When a child goes missing, the MASH Information Officers or EDT (out of hours) will open the Missing From Home Exemplar on ICS and input details of the missing report from Police / Carers/ Parents.

The ICS Exemplar is subsequently updated with the found details / time and date. The Met Hub then allocate the Return Home Interview to a worker for this to be carried out within 72 hours.

Once the Interview has been undertaken, the Met Hub Worker completes the exemplar with all information obtained during interview. This is then sent to the Met Hub CSW for review and Managers comments / recommendations. Data is also extracted for the Missing From Home Tracker).

The Met Hub CSW then signs off the exemplar and sends this to Police (if the Young Person has consented, or the concerns warrant consent being overruled) and to the Lead Professional’s Manager (either Lead CSW / TM or EH District Manager) for review and sign off and consideration of the recommendations made.

Peterborough

When a child goes missing, the MASH Information Officers or EDT (out of hours) will open a Missing from Home episode on Liquid Logic and input details of the missing report from Police / Carers/ Parents, including date missing and where from.

Where the child is open, this will be forwarded to their SW/manager; where they are not it will be passed to First Response.

Where the child is missing from home, the information is passed to the Missing Officer who will complete the Return Home Interview. For a Looked After Child, this is undertaken by NYAS.

6. Children Missing from Care and Care Leavers

See LSCB Flowchart (missing from care).

Care Leavers

From the age of 16 young people in care are often referred to as ‘care leavers’, though local authorities have very similar duties and responsibilities towards 16 and 17 year olds as they do to other looked after children and, for the purposes of this guidance, the response to a missing care leaver age 16 or17 should be the same.

Local authorities continue to have a range of responsibilities towards children leaving care until the young person’s 25th birthday. It is good practice to follow the guidance set out below whilst a young person remains ‘leaving care’.

Care leavers, particularly 16 and 17 year olds, are vulnerable to sexual exploitation and may go missing from their home or accommodation.

Young people should feel safe in their accommodation and the areas where it is located. Social Care should ensure that Pathway Plans set out where a young person may be vulnerable to exploitation, trafficking or going missing, and put in place support services to minimise this risk.

Out of Area Placements

When a child is placed out of Cambridgeshire/Peterborough, the SW must ensure they have access to the services they need in advance of placement. Notification of the placement must be made to the host ‘local authority. Where a child has a history of going missing, or is thought to be vulnerable to CSE, the local Police should be notified of their placement.

If children placed out of the authority area go missing, this protocol must be followed in addition to complying with any other process specified in the policy of the host local authority or placement provider. It is possible that the child will return to their home area so it is essential that liaison between the Police and professionals in both authorities is well managed and coordinated.

Looked after Children who are away from placement without authorisation

Sometimes a looked after child may be away from their placement without authorisation. While they are not ‘missing’, they may still be placing themselves at risk (e.g. they may be at the house of friends where there are concerns about risks of sexual exploitation). The carer or social worker should take reasonable steps to ascertain the wellbeing of the child including, when appropriate, visiting the location. However, if there is a concern the child may be at significant risk of harm to themselves or to others then Police should also be notified in order that appropriate safeguarding measures can be taken. This should not be confused with reporting a child ‘missing’.

Prevention and Planning – Risk Assessment

For all looked after young people, the care / pathway plan and placement plan should include details of the arrangements that will need to be in place to keep the child safe and minimise the risk of the child going missing from their placement.

A Child Passport Form should be completed for all children for whom there is concern that they may go missing. Distance from home, family and friends, previous missing episodes and potential CSE and gang involvement should be considered as risk factors.

The ‘Passport’ includes a photograph and key information about the young person that would then be readily available should they go missing.

The Care/Pathway Plan and Placement Plan should include strategies to avoid unauthorised absences and/or a child going missing. It should also include strategies to reduce the duration and risks associated if the child does go missing.

In responding to the issues around missing episodes and/or absences from placement the child’s views must always be taken into account and they should be given advice about an independent advocate

Where a child already has an established pattern of going missing the Care/Placement Plan should include a strategy to keep the child safe and minimise the likelihood of future absences. This should be discussed and agreed as far as possible with the child and with their carers and should include detailed information about the responsibilities of all services, the child’s parents and other adults involved in the family network.

Independent Reviewing Officers (IROs) should be informed about missing episodes and it may be appropriate to hold an early Review. LAC Reviews should consider any absences and review strategies to prevent repeat missing incidents and the care plan should be revised accordingly. The pre-incident risk assessment should be updated after any missing incident and should be regularly reviewed.

Designated health professionals for Looked After Children (LAC) should be informed of children missing from care who are deemed to be ‘high risk’. They should be included in any multi-agency strategy meetings or activity to manage the child’s retrieval and any subsequent health needs.

Designated education professionals should be informed and included in the review process.

7. When the whereabouts of a Looked After Child are not known

Whenever the whereabouts of a looked after child are not known, the foster carer or the residential duty manager is responsible for preliminary checks to see if the child can be located. If these initial checks do not succeed in locating the child or there are still concerns that, despite contact being made with the child 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 do not continue beyond a reasonable timeframe. What timeframe is reasonable should be based on an assessment of the risks relating to the individual child. In some cases, there might be particular reasons to be worried for the child’s safety immediately and the individuals agencies detailed below should be contacted straight away – this in conjunction with on-going attempts to contact the child and find out why they are not where they are supposed to be.

The individuals and agencies who should be contacted when a child is missing or they are away from placement without authorisation:

• The local Police. An Incident Number must always be obtained;
• The authority responsible for the child’s placement;
• 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 child’s welfare;
• The Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO).

When reporting the child missing to the Police, the following information will be required:

• The child’s name/s; date of birth; legal status; responsible authority;
• Where and when they went missing;
• Who, if anyone, they went missing with;
• What was the child wearing plus any belongings such as bags, phone etc.;
• Description and recent photo;
• Medical history; any emotional/ mental health issues
• Time and location last seen;
• Circumstances or events around going missing;
• Details of family, friends and associates.

Where a ‘Passport’ has been created, this will hold the key information required.

To aid the Police risk assessment the following information should also be shared:

• Reasons for being looked after;
• If thought to be at risk of CSE, reason(s) for this;
• Who are they know to associate with;
• If missing previously where have they been found;
• Social media information: their addresses, etc.
• Previous locations / care homes they have lived;
• What action carers and others have taken so far to locate a child.

The carer/s should take all reasonable steps, which a good parent would take, to secure the safe and speedy return of the child based on their own knowledge of the child and the information in the child’s placement plan. If there is suspected risk of harm to the child the carer/s should liaise immediately with the Police.

The responsibility for locating the child is shared and any new information, including that the child has returned, must be passed promptly to the Police.

Following initial discussions between the allocated Social Care worker and the Police, they should agree an immediate strategy for locating the child and an action plan. This should include a range of actions to locate and ensure the safe return of the child, including:

• Attempts to be made to contact the child on a daily basis by, for example, calling their mobile phone or the phones of friends or relatives that they might be with;
• Visiting their parents’ address/es and those of any friends or relatives with whom they might be staying;
• The Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) should also try and contact the child.

Within Cambridgeshire, the SW must complete the Missing from Care Notification Form to notify senior managers of the child’s absence and attempts to date to find them. This must be sent to their Head of Service (HoS) if they still have not been found. The HoS will forward the form to the Director, Assistant Director and HoS for Partnerships & Quality Assurance within 24 hours of the child going missing. The Director will notify the Lead Member and Chair of the Corporate Parenting Board after 5 days.

The form should be regularly updated as more information emerges and/or the child returns.

Within Peterborough, a ‘Need to Know’ form must be completed by the SW and sent to the Head of Service who will add comments and forward to the Assistant Director.

During the investigation to find the missing child, regular liaison and communication should take place between the Police, the responsible Social Care worker and the host authority (if an out of area placement) and any other agencies involved.

Within 24 hours, if the child is still missing, the SW will organise a Missing from Care strategy meetingto include the Police, the child’s social worker and the provider. The action plan and risk assessment should be reviewed and updated. The possible use of harbouring notices etc will be discussed, along with the possible use of statutory powers (see Section 3, Legal Powers).

After five days, the SW will organise a further Missing from Care strategy meeting to update the action plan and share information. This will be reconvened every 5 days until the child has been found. However, after the third meeting, a decision will be requested from the Head of Service regarding future steps.

Whilst partners will discuss the merits of publicising that the child is missing, any publicity will be led by the Police.

The SW should ensure that plans are in place to respond promptly once the child is found, including determining if the current placement remains appropriate.

8. When a Looked After Child has been Found

When the child has been located, care staff/ foster carers should promptly inform the child’s social worker and the Independent Reviewing Officer that the child has returned. Arrangements should be promptly made 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 child has returned. Their purpose is to check for any indications that the child has suffered harm, where and with whom they have been, and to give them an opportunity to disclose any offending by or against them.

This should take account of the established link between frequent missing episodes and serious harm, which could include gang involvement, forced marriage, maltreatment or abuse at home, bullying or sexual exploitation.

Independent Return Review

The independent return review is an in-depth interview carried out by The Met Hub in Cambridgeshire and by NYAS in Peterborough. The child should be seen on their own unless they specifically request to have someone with them, and they should be offered the option of speaking to an independent representative or advocate.

The independent return interview should be offered and provided within 72 hours of the child being located or returning. It should preferably take place in a neutral place or somewhere the child feels safe. Delays in return interviews may mean a loss of important information or evidence.

The interview, and actions that follow from it, should:

• Identify and deal with any harm the child 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 child ran away;
• Help the child feel ‘safe’ / understand that they have options, to prevent repeat instances of them running away;
• Understand what the child would like to see happen next whether short and/or long term;
• Gather the parents or carers views of the circumstances, if appropriate;
• Provide the child with information on how to stay safe if they choose to run away again, including helpline numbers.

Where children refuse to engage with the interviewer, parents and/or carers should be offered the opportunity to provide any relevant information and intelligence they may be aware of. This should help to prevent further instances of the child running away and identify early the support needed for them.

9. Repeatedly Missing from Care

If a child continually goes missing actions following earlier incidents need reviewing and alternative strategies should be considered. When a child has had three missing episodes within 90 days a strategy meeting will be convened by the SW to discuss arrangements for reducing future episodes and keeping the child safe. This meeting will review the missing episodes, associated risks and devise a plan of support required for the young person to reduce the risks around going missing. This strategy meeting should include all relevant professionals working with the young person.

10. Children Missing from Home

See LSCB Flowchart (missing from home).

Missing from Home

As well as being concerned for the welfare of children who go missing from home, Social Care, Police and their partners must be alert to the risk of sexual exploitation or involvement in drugs, gangs or criminal activity such as trafficking. They must also be aware of local “hot spots” as well as concerns about any individuals who children run away to be with. They must also be aware of the ‘hidden missing’, who are children who have not been reported missing to the Police, but have come to an agency’s attention after accessing other services.

There may also be trafficked children who have not previously come to the attention of Social Care or the Police. Research demonstrates that children from black and minority ethnic groups, and children that go missing from education are less likely to be reported as missing. Children missing from home are subject to risks and vulnerabilities similar to those for children who are looked after.

NHS designated and named professionals hold a statutory role with regards to safeguarding in the local health community, and must be included in the information sharing and management processes being put in place for children deemed to be at high risk.

Notifying the Police

The Police will respond to all notifications of children categorised as ‘missing’ as medium or high risk in accordance with this guidance.

The Police and LSCB have produced an advice leaflet for parents and carers on ‘What to do if your child goes missing’ which is available in a range of languages.

The information required by the Police to assist in locating and returning the child to a safe environment is as follows:

• The child’s name/s; date of birth; status; responsible authority;
• Where and when they went missing;
• Who, if anyone, they went missing with;
• What the child was wearing plus any belongings they had with them 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.

Actions when a Child is Missing

Child protection procedures will be initiated in collaboration with Social Care services whenever there are concerns that a child who is missing may be suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm.

Where a child is living at home and is the subject of a Child Protection Plan or a s47 enquiry, additional action is required. This includes ensuring that a strategy meeting is arranged as soon as practicable and, if a child is subject to a Child Protection Plan, within 24 hours. If the child has returned prior to the date of the strategy meeting, it is not a requirement for the meeting to go ahead. Representatives from both the Police Missing Persons Unit and MASH should attend the strategy meeting, as well as other practitioners involved with the child.

When a Child has been Found

When a missing child not open to Social Care has been located, consideration will be given to undertaking an assessment and/or referral to appropriate services.

Safe and Well Checks

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

Independent Return Review

The Independent Return Review is an in-depth interview which will be undertaken by The Met Hub in Cambridgeshire and by an independent worker in Peterborough. Children sometimes need to build up trust with a person before they will discuss in depth the reasons why they ran away.

The Police will make a referral to Social Care to ensure that a return review interview takes place. Contact should be made with the child and an independent return interview should be offered and provided within 72 hours of the child being located or returning from absence, preferably in a neutral place where they feel safe. Delays in return interviews may mean a loss of important information or evidence.

The interview, and actions that follow from it, should:

• Identify and deal with any harm the child 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 child ran away;
• Help the child feel ‘safe’ and understand that they have options, to prevent repeat instances of them running away;
• Understand what the child would like to see happen next whether short term and/or long term;
• Gather the parents or carers views of the circumstances, if appropriate;
• Provide the child with information on how to stay safe if they choose to run away again, including helpline numbers.

Where children refuse to engage with the interview, parents should be offered the opportunity to provide any relevant information and intelligence they may be aware of. This should help to prevent further instances of the child running away and identify early the support needed for them.

Information about local help lines and agencies working with runaways should be provided to the child and family.

Repeatedly missing from home

If a child continually goes missing alternative strategies should be considered. When a child has had three missing episodes within 90 days a Strategy Meeting will be convened by the SW to discuss arrangements for reducing future episodes and keeping the child safe.

This meeting will review the missing episodes, risks and devise a plan of support required for the young person to reduce the risks around going missing. This strategy meeting should include all relevant professionals working with the young person.

11. Children who are Foreign Nationals and go Missing

Definitions

This section applies to children who are ‘subject to restriction’. i.e. who have:

• Proceeded through immigration control without obtaining leave to enter; or
• Left the border control area Border Force accommodation without permission; or
• Been granted temporary admission; or
• Been granted temporary release or bail; or
• Released on a restriction order; or
• Served with a ‘notice of liability to deport’ or is the dependant of a foreign national offender whose status in the UK is under consideration by criminal casework – these dependants could be British Citizens or have extant leave.

When the whereabouts of a Child ‘subject to restrictions’ is not known

A missing person’s referral will be made by Home Office staff to the Police, the UK Missing Person Bureau and Social Care in a number of circumstances including:

• When a child ‘subject to restriction’ is identified as having run away from their parents;
• Where they are looked after and have gone missing from their placement;
• Where they are being hidden by their parents and where there is concern for the child’s safety because they are being hidden by, or have gone missing with, their family.

A copy of the missing persons notification form will be faxed or emailed to MASH. If it is believed by Home Office staff that a child is being coerced to abscond or go missing, this will be reported as a concern that the child has suffered or is likely to suffer significant harm to the local Police and Social Care.

12. Philomena Protocol

The Philomena Protocol is a scheme that asks carers to identify children and young people who are at risk of going missing, and to record vital information about them that can be used to help find them quickly and safely. It is used with care providers across the county.

This process is designed to improve the outcomes of children who go missing by:

• Reducing harm and the number of children being reported missing.
• Increase the safeguarding of children in care through role clarity and staff improvement.
• Improve information sharing and communication between agencies.
• Always have the best interests of the child/young person at the heart of decision-making.

Each Care provider is expected to complete the necessary proforma notifications (see attachments below) as well as conducting some initial enquiries to locate the young person before calling the Police. It is the responsibility of the Police METHub to quality assure these forms to ensure they contain all available and relevant information. The form will then be presented to the attending officer to assist with initial enquiries and risk assessments.

• Philomena Protocol Flow Chart
• Philomena Missing Person Incident Form
• Philomena Risk Assessed Contacts and Locations list

In addition to the safe and well check conducted by Response officers, a child who has gone missing for the first time, once found, might also be visited by a Young Person Early Intervention Officer (YPEIO) from the METHub to offer additional advice and support.

13. Further Information

• The Children Act 1989;
• The Children Act 2004;
• The Children’s Homes Regulations 2015;
• Missing Children: Who Cares? The Police response to missing and absent children (HMIC).

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