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3.10.1 Children and Young People Missing from Care

RELEVANT CHAPTERS

This procedure has been written with reference to the London Procedure for Safeguarding Children Missing from Care and Home. It is therefore compliant with the agreed pan London procedure.


Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Definitions
  3. Missing From Care - Planning Ahead
  4. Actions on Discovering a Child is Missing
  5. Missing During External Activities
  6. Notification of Absence
  7. Action by the Police
  8. Strategy Meeting
  9. Who Else to Notify
  10. Where a Child is Missing for More Than 7 days
  11. Still Missing After 3 Months
  12. Means of Returning a Child
  13. Planning for Return
  14. Statutory Looked After Reviews
  15. Recording
  16. Action on Child's Return
  17. Further Help and Advice - National Missing Person's Helpline (NMPH)

    Appendix 1 - Missing from Care Procedure Flowchart

    Appendix 2 - Summary of Recent Research and Consultation

    Appendix 3 - Pre Incident Risk Assessment

    Appendix 4 - Missing Child Risk Assessment Record

    Appendix 5 - Missing From Care: Information Sharing Form

    Appendix 6 - Strategy Meeting Record

    Appendix 7 - Missing From Care Notification

    Appendix 8 - Missing Child Report to Assistant and Divisional Directors

    Appendix 9 - CD17 Notification of Change Form (to follow)

    Appendix 10 - Children Missing From Care Return Questionnaire

    Appendix 11 - Missing Children Monitoring Form

    Appendix 12 - Supplementary Procedures of London Child Protection Procedures - Children Missing from Care and Home


1. Introduction

1.1 Children who are looked after by the Local Authority are the most vulnerable children in the community.  Some may have a history of inconsistent parenting and poor adult role modelling which may lead them to display behaviours that can place them, and sometimes others, at risk. This includes behaviours such as absconding, going missing or staying out beyond agreed times. The reasons for such absences are varied and complex and should not be viewed in isolation from their home circumstances and experiences of care.  Every effort should be made to ensure the safety and wellbeing of looked after children and young people.  Each incident where a child/young person is missing therefore requires immediate attention from all professionals involved, including foster carers and residential care staff.  The professionals must collaborate to ensure that a consistent and coherent action plan is drawn up to secure the quick and safe return of the child/young person.
1.2 Carers, social workers and police staff should not dismiss the potential significance of multiple periods of being absent without permission. Sometimes such children/young people are labelled as "the problem" without considering the reasons for them persistently absenting themselves. Many of these children/young people put themselves in situations of extreme risk whilst being missing, regardless of how many times they have been missing previously. Intervention at an early stage of a child's 'career' of going missing is likely to be most effective, as going missing is often associated with a gradual detachment from adult authority.
1.3

The following procedure applies to:

All children who are looked after by Croydon, i.e. children who are subject to an Interim Care Order or full Care Order, or Accommodated under Section 20 of the Children Act 1989

As holders of Parental Responsibility, the authority is required to make every effort to locate the child and must keep records of children who go missing from care. Social workers may also be involved in efforts to locate children/young people who are known to Croydon but who are not in care.

If the child has a Child Protection Plan or is subject to legal proceedings, additional actions are required on behalf of Social Care. These can be found at Appendix 12 - Other Children Known to Social Care who go Missing .

Children living at home, who are not known to Children's Social Care, sometimes go missing in circumstances where there are possible child protection concerns. For example, the parent does not report the child missing to Police and there are concerns about their care. These issues must be prioritised for notification to middle managers, a Strategy Meeting held and action taken by the relevant agencies.
1.4 When a child/young person goes missing from care, it is crucial that the child's carers, Children's Social Care, the police and staff from other key agencies work together to ensure the safe location of the child.
1.5

The following principles should guide all agencies in identifying and locating children and young people who go missing:

  • The safety and welfare of the child is paramount
  • Locating and returning the child to a safe environment is the main objective
  • Child Protection Procedures will be initiated whenever there are concerns that a child who is missing may be at risk of Significant Harm (see paragraph 2.2 for details of where this would be appropriate)
  • Notification to the police will only take place following a Missing Child Risk Assessment and in clearly defined circumstances, as set out in this procedure
  • The police will act on any report of a child missing on the understanding that a risk assessment has been completed
  • Every 'missing' Croydon child who returns will be interviewed by the Barnardos Missing child worker and all children will be interviewed by someone other than the direct carer
1.6 Appendix 1 - Missing From Care Procedure Flowchart gives an overall flow chart for the process of what happens when a child goes missing from care.


2. Definitions


For the purposes of this procedure, A looked after child or young person will be considered "missing" if he/she is absent from their place of residence

  • without permission  and
  • in circumstances where the absence causes concern for their safety or there is a potential danger to the public

2.1

'Missing'
  Children/young people who return to their friends and relatives, or even go abroad without social work knowledge, should be regarded as causing concern.
  2.1.1 Absences that cause concern are those where:
   
  • Staff or carers have no indication as to the child's whereabouts and/or
  • There is no indication that the child is likely to return within a reasonable period of time and
  • There is immediate concern for the child's safety.
2.2 There may be circumstances when a child who goes missing from care is experiencing harm or is at risk of harm. This includes children subjected to fabricated or induced illness, female genitalia mutilation, abuse by children, abduction by family or others, domestic violence, sexually exploited children, trafficked children and asylum seeking children.
  2.2.1 The Missing from Care Procedure should be followed in these instances and the London Child Protection Procedures should be followed, if required, on the child's return. Reference should also be made to the London Child Protection Procedures and the supplementary London multi-agency procedures relating to these specific circumstances. These procedures provide information that may help staff to recognise and manage these circumstances. The London procedures can be accessed via the button at the left hand side of the page.


2.3


Going out or staying out without permission

  Sometimes children/ young people fail to return home within an agreed timescale, fail to tell their carer where they are, or go out without permission. This is part of common boundary testing behaviour among children and young people and their whereabouts are often known. Sometimes the child's whereabouts are not known, but they will not be considered to be at risk. A judgement should always be made whether the child's absence reflects normal teenage behaviour and as such, is not considered to be high risk. In situations like this, the child would not usually be considered as 'missing' for the purposes of this procedure. Children and young people who go out or stay out without permission should be challenged about their behaviour, but  it would be inappropriate to treat them as a missing child.
  2.3.1 A child who regularly goes out or stays out without permission must be carefully monitored and continuously risk assessed, as they may be engaging in risky behaviour, or may subsequently go missing. The person with Parental Responsibility should also be kept informed.


2.4


Preventing Young People from going out without permission
  Where a child seeks to leave their place of accommodation without permission, every effort should be made to dissuade them. It should be made very clear that they do not have permission to leave and concern for their safety should be communicated. Research has shown that persistent persuasion, following the child or young person around and even exiting the accommodation with them, can be effective in preventing them from leaving.
  2.4.1 If a child is attempting to leave without permission and there is extreme and immediate concern for their safety or that of other people, or of damage to property, these attempts may include physically stopping the child/young person from leaving. This could include obstructing an exit, bolting a door, or holding the young person by the arm. A professional assessment of the appropriateness of this action should always be taken, in order to ensure a breach of civil liberties does not occur.
  2.4.2 Persuasion and physical restraint should only be considered as a short-term solution to going out without permission. Follow up work should always be carried out in the form of an action plan that analyses the motivation to leave the residence. This will inform a longer-term strategy and prevent the repeated use of physical restraint. 


2.5


Responding to a child who has gone out without permission
  In these cases, foster carers/residential staff must, (as far as is practicable and as staffing levels will allow), do all that a reasonable parent would do to locate and ensure the safe return of the child. They should telephone the child, their friends or relatives to ascertain the child's location, collect the child or negotiate some alternative arrangements. Before making these arrangements, the carer may wish to discuss the situation with the child's social worker/ Emergency Duty Group (EDT). If the carer believes the child is at risk, or the carer feels that the child is unable to make an informed judgment in relation to this (for example if the child is new to the placement, or if the staff on duty do not know the child well enough) they must inform the child's social worker/line manager/ EDT immediately.
  2.5.1 If it is thought that there are specific issues of safety or public order difficulties involved in returning the child, then action should be agreed between the police, the residential unit staff/ foster carer and the social worker/EDT. If the local authority knows, or believes it knows, the child's location and there are difficulties or dangers involved in returning the child, a Recovery Order should be actively sought (see Section 12.2 for further details). These circumstances would not necessarily mean the child should be categorised as 'missing'.
 


2.5.2


Staying out for longer than 48 hours
   

The carer, residential unit manager or supervising social worker should report any child who was not considered to be at immediate risk but who has stayed out without permission for longer than 48 hours to the Operational Manager/Head of Service and the placing authority.

For Croydon children, the QA service should also be informed and SWIFT updated.

Joint consideration should be given to adopting a finite time limit within which any child should be considered as staying out without permission, after which they would be deemed 'missing'. Initial completion or updating of the Pre -Incident Risk Assessment Record should inform this decision (see Section 3.2). Once a child has moved to the 'missing' category the missing procedure should be followed.


3. Missing From Care - Planning Ahead


3.1


Research
  Social workers and carers should familiarise themselves with the current research on the reasons why and the circumstances in which children are likely to go missing. This may help to identify high risk factors and early warning signs and allow for early intervention to be taken.
  3.1.1

The likelihood of children absenting themselves can be reduced by improving the quality of care they receive, in particular:

  • Reducing the instances of inappropriate placements
  • Use of small children's homes, which have strong leadership, proper delegation of authority and responsibility and a strong, positive staff culture
  • Positive attention given to education progress as non attendance at school and going missing are mutually reinforcing
  • Children should have regular access to a trusted adult outside of the placement and access to a user-friendly complaints procedure
  3.1.2 A summary of current research and consultation with Croydon's Looked After Children can be found at Appendix 2 - Summary of Recent Research and Consultation.


3.2


Pre-Incident Risk Assessment

 

If, at the time of accommodating a child, there are major concerns that they are likely to go missing, a Pre-Incident Risk Assessment should be completed. A template for this can be found at Appendix 3 - Pre Incident Risk Assessment.

A discussion should take place at the pre-placement meeting and consideration must be given to any associated risk factors in relation to the child absenting him/herself and any protective factors that may reduce the likelihood of going missing or of reducing potential harm to the child should they go missing.

This also applies to children/young people placed at home on a Care Order.


The Pre- Incident Risk Assessment should consider the following:

  • The likelihood of the child/young person going missing, including information about previous patterns of going missing or risks associated with being missing.
  • The child's view on the current placement/ stability of their relationships      at home
  • The level of supervision/support available to the child/young person. This may, for example in extreme cases, include additional one-to-one support.
  • The views of those with parental responsibility on what action should be taken if the child/young person goes missing or regularly returns home late.
  • The level of risk presented if the child/young person goes missing - for example, a history of alcohol abuse, sexual exploitation, involvement in gangs, mental health or learning difficulties.
  • Details of any medical condition and treatment that the child/young person is currently undergoing and the implications of this in terms of their absence.
  • Consideration of any external influences which may result in the child's removal without consent
  • Recording all the contact names, addresses and telephone numbers of the places where the child/young person may return to.

  3.2.1 A copy of the Pre-Incident Risk Assessment should be held on the child's case record in all agencies working with the child. The child/ young person should also be given a copy of their Pre-Incident Risk Assessment if appropriate.
  3.2.2 An up-to-date description and photograph of the child must be maintained at the establishment where they are placed or on the case record for children in other placements. In obtaining photographs, appropriate permission should be obtained from the child or parent. Care should be taken to ensure that children and young people do not feel like they are having a 'mug shot' taken, photographs should instead be taken during relaxed or social occasions.
  3.2.3 The Pre - Incident Risk Assessment, where used, should be reviewed regularly as part of the social worker's pre- review report.
  3.2.4 The child/young person and those with Parental Responsibility should always be informed what action will be taken if the child/young person absents her/himself without permission. Children/young people should also be informed of their right to speak to an independent party on or prior to their return and should be given information on local advocacy services.
  3.2.5 In cases where there are serious concerns about the risks associated with a child/young person going missing, consideration must be given to informing the local police and the relevant local authority (if the child/ young person is placed out of borough), at the point of admission or once the particular concerns are identified.


3.3


Grab Pack
  It is good practice for residential/ foster carers to produce a 'grab pack' relating to children who have been identified as at high risk of going missing. The purpose of this is to ensure all that all the information that will help locate the child is readily available, should they go missing. The grab pack needs to be updated regularly and should include a completed Information Sharing form, containing the information that the police and other agencies will require should the child go missing (See Appendix 5 - Missing From Care: Information Sharing Form).


4. Actions on Discovering a Child is Missing


4.1


Search the premises
  When it has been established that a child has run away or gone missing, urgent effort should be made by foster carers/residential staff to locate them, as far as is practicable and as staffing levels will allow. Staff/ carers should search the home and its grounds to ensure that the child is not hiding on the premises. They should also check the individual's bedroom for any relevant information, such as diaries, emails and whether a bag has been packed. If the child has absconded from a residential unit, the senior member of staff on duty in the unit must be informed.


4.2


Missing Child Risk Assessment
  In all cases where a child has gone missing, the foster carer/ residential staff must complete a Missing Child Risk Assessment, to help gauge the seriousness of the situation. A template can be found at Appendix 4 - Missing Child Risk Assessment Record. This should be completed immediately and on every occasion that a child is classified as missing (even if it has previously been completed as part of the Pre-Incident Risk Assessment). The Missing Child Risk Assessment should be reviewed by the child's social workers as soon as practically possible.
  4.2.1 Practitioners should use their professional judgement when carrying out the risk assessment and should take into consideration any factors that might have a bearing on the level of risk to the child, or to others, as well as any protective factors that may reduce the potential risk. The Risk Assessment should be used as an action tool, to inform single and multi-agency decision-making and planning in order to identify the child's whereabouts.

The Risk Assessment provides an indication of:

  • The urgency of inquiries
  • Areas of inquiry e.g. favourite places, locations where drugs are available or locations and networks that certain adults frequent, the child's country of origin or country children are trafficked on to etc.
  • Type of specialist knowledge that might be needed
  • The supervision that may be required
  • Agencies who may be first alerted e.g. local Accident & Emergency services

  4.2.2 At the time that a child goes 'missing', the completed risk assessment should be shared with all agencies working with the child and kept on the child's case record in each agency. SWIFT should be updated.
  4.2.3 If new information becomes available and/or the child remains absent for a protracted period, the risks should be re-assessed. The new risk assessment should be shared with the agencies and the most recently completed Risk Assessment should remain on the child's case record in all agencies working with the child.

High risk children/ young people

The following children/ young people should automatically be considered as high risk and reported immediately to the police by the foster carer/ residential staff. The carer/ residential staff should then immediately inform the child's social worker / EDT who will inform their Head of Service manager. The Head of Service is responsible for informing the Assistant and Divisional Directors:

  • Any child/ young person who presents an immediate risk to themselves or to other people
  • Any child who is 12 years old or younger whose whereabouts are unknown
  • Any child/ young person who is subject to a Child Protection or Sexual Exploitation Plan
  • Any child/ young person who is abducted from care
  • Any young person who is subject to a curfew and goes missing beyond the end of their curfew


5. Missing During External Activities

5.1

Children/young people sometimes abscond during activities, holidays or periods when they are away from their home environment.  In the event that this occurs, the member of the staff in charge at the time must:

  • Notify the local police in that area
  • Notify the senior manager of the residential home/ foster carer
  • Notify the child/young person's social worker, Operational Manager or the emergency duty group.
  • Search the local area and known favourite locations as staffing levels permit
5.2 If the child resides at a care home, the manager of the home will be responsible for ensuring that the procedure for missing children is followed.
  5.2.1 The manager of the home and the person in charge of the party will    decide within 24 hours of the absence, in consultation with Children's Social Care, as to whether the party should return to the placement.
  5.2.2 Ongoing communication regarding the missing child should be maintained between the placement and the police force in the area of where the absence occurred.
5.3 For children in foster care, the foster carer should immediately contact the child's social worker or line manager or the Emergency Duty Team who will notify the local police. The foster carer should always contact the police directly if there are immediate concerns for the child's safety.


6. Notification of Absence

6.1

In relation to children missing from residential homes, the member of staff who discovers that the child is missing should consult the senior manager on duty, or if they are not available, the on-call manager. The staff should also refer to their organisation's procedures.  The residential staff must then inform the child's social worker and line manager or, out of hours, the EDT.  In an emergency situation the residential staff must call the police immediately.

In relation to children missing from foster care, the foster carer/s should inform the child's social worker, line manager or, out of hours, the EDT, unless it has been decided previously at the placement planning meeting that the foster carer should contact the police directly. In an emergency situation the foster carers must call the police immediately.

In relation to children placed at home on a Care Order, the parent/s should notify the child's social worker, line manager or, out of hours, the EDT, who will notify the police immediately. In an emergency situation the parent/parents must call the police immediately.
6.4 If a child remains missing beyond a few hours, all agencies should keep a record of their discussions, decisions, actions taken and messages received/ given. The child's social worker should keep a comprehensive record of this information and any events or meetings held within the child's case notes on Framework. Residential staff and foster carers should record this information in the daily log/ diary, which should be accessible to the social worker.
6.5 The social worker, line manager or EDT should alert parents or those with Parental Responsibility, unless there are clear reasons why this should not be done.


6.6


Notifying the Police
  Once it is established that the child in care can be classified as missing and a risk assessment has been carried out, the police should be notified by the social worker/ EDT as soon as possible and within a maximum of 4 hours, unless the child is considered to be at serious risk, then the foster carer or residential staff should contact the police immediately and directly.


7. Action by the Police

7.1 The police will conduct an investigation into all reports of missing children. However this does not mean that responsibility for the child is devolved to the police; responsibility remains with Children's Social Care.
7.2 Appropriate application of the risk assessment process until this point will ensure that the police are confident that the child meets the agreed criteria and the investigation will be prioritised and proportionate. The police should be supplied with a copy of the Missing Child Risk Assessment record and the Information Sharing Form (Appendices 4 & 5). The latter should include a recent photograph if available, obtained with appropriate permissions.
7.3 The police will require confirmation that a search of the residence has been conducted and should be informed of any relevant information arising from the search.
7.4 Once the child's social worker or line manager has alerted the police, the police may wish to phone the foster carer/residential staff for more information.
7.5 The police may request to undertake a more detailed search of the premises including the child's bedroom.  This will be the subject to an agreement between a Head of Service and the police.


8. Strategy Meeting

8.1 A strategy meeting must be convened on the first available working day and at the latest, within seven days.  The purpose of the meeting is to agree an action plan to find the child. The meeting should include the child's social worker/line manager, carer, parent (if appropriate), legal representatives, the police and members of other involved agencies, such as CAMHS/CLAMHS or the Youth Offending Service. Possible attendance of the IRO should be discussed with the social worker's line manager.

The Strategy Meeting should consider the following:

  • Making further attempts to contact the child/young person's known relatives, friends, regular places of visit etc.  Consideration should be given to writing to relatives and friends regarding the Department's concerns and the expectation that the relatives/friends will inform the Department should they obtain any relevant information.
  • Writing to other local authorities and local agencies with the information about the missing child/young person. Partner agencies should receive information from each other on the basis of their need to know and in order to take action to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child.
  • Use of publicity. This will require appropriate agreement with the Head of Social Work, who will consult with the Divisional Director and assess the individual case circumstances. The Council's press office and the police's Missing Person Unit will also need to be consulted with. The child's parents must be informed prior to a press release being made and consent should be received from them and/or those with parental responsibility.  Legal Services should be consulted with if there are any issues regarding obtaining consent.

    Social workers should be aware that it is an offence for a person to publish material which is intended to, or is likely to identify a child as being involved in court proceedings under the Children Act 1989. However, the court can give leave for this restriction to be waived if the child/young person's welfare requires it.
  • Contacting the Missing Person's Helpline's, Missing from Care Group. This group provides a specialist service to Children's Social Services when any of their looked after children go missing, including asylum seeking children. This working arrangement with local authorities forms the basis of an information sharing agreement with Social Services.  The Missing from Care Group can be contacted on 020 8392 4527, 24 hours a day.
  • Seeking a Recovery Order and deciding how the order should be exercised i.e. should there be a joint visit with police and Children's Social Care staff. (See Section 12.2 for further details).
  • Notifying national authorities and agencies, such as Department for Work and Pensions and Child Benefit agencies
  • Appropriate legal interventions if there is any suspicion that the child may have been removed from UK jurisdiction.
  • Whether a further strategy meeting should be called before the child has been missing for 7 days. The Missing Child Risk Assessment should inform this decision.

8.2 The decisions of the strategy meeting and the timescales must be clearly recorded, using the template at Appendix 6 - Strategy Meeting Record. A copy should be kept on the child's case record.
8.3 Further strategy meetings can be called whenever the professionals involved wish to hold one. All strategy discussions and meetings should be recorded by the Operational Manager and faxed/ emailed to the key professionals within 24 hours for their agreement.


9. Who Else to Notify

9.1 Appendix 7 - Missing From Care Notification is a notification flowchart.
  9.1.1 The relevant Head of Service, Director of Development and Care must be informed immediately if it is a high-risk case. The Director of Development and Care should always be informed of any child who has been missing for 48 hours. The report template at Appendix 8 - Missing Child Report to Assistant and Divisional Directors should be used by the relevant Head of Service to provide a written report following a verbal notification. The Divisional Director will be responsible for deciding whether or not to inform the Executive Director immediately.
  9.1.2 The Executive Director must be informed by the Divisional Director of Social Care if the child remains missing for 5 days. The Executive Director will inform the Lead Member for Children and Young People's Service when appropriate.
  9.1.3 In high-risk cases, the manager of the residential unit should notify the Regulatory Authority.
  9.1.4 Should a child's absence continue for more than 48 hours, foster carers/residential staff should inform members of the foster home/ care home.  In this way, distressing rumours may be avoided and additional information might be obtained. Any such information should be passed immediately to the police. Foster carers/residential staff may seek support from the child's social worker or supervising link worker. Arrangements should be made for an interpreter if required.
  9.1.5 The child's carer/ residential staff should always inform the child's school and they may have valuable information that could assist in locating the child's whereabouts. Any such information should be passed immediately to the police, the child's social worker and any other involved agency as appropriate.


10. Where a Child is Missing for More Than 7 days

10.1 The child's social worker, in consultation with Operational Managers, should arrange a further strategy meeting if the child remains missing for 7 days. The meeting should include all the key people, including foster carer/residential staff/parents, police, Council's press office, legal services etc. to decide whether any other action should be taken.  Consideration should also be given to invite a representative from the National Missing People Helpline.  The relevant Head of Service should chair the meeting.  The purpose of this meeting is to ensure that all appropriate action is being taken to locate the child and to consider what further action needs to be taken.  The Missing Child Strategy Discussion episode on Framework (see Appendix 6 - Strategy Meeting Record) should be used to record the strategy meeting. Copies should also be kept by every attending agency on the child's case record.
  10.1.1 Appendix 8 - Missing Child Report to Assistant and Divisional Directors should be used as a template to provide a written briefing for Divisional Directors (if not already completed). The Head of Service should complete this immediately after the meeting, outlining the current situation and the action plan. The Divisional Director will brief the Executive Director who will brief the Lead Member for Children and Young People.
  10.1.2 The service manager must be updated weekly by the Operational Manager on all missing children and informed of progress against the action plan.  The Head of Service must update the Divisional Directors on a weekly basis.
  10.1.3 If the child is still missing after 7 days, two weekly (or, as required) meetings should be held. A Head of Service should chair the meetings.  Following every meeting the Head of Service must provide a written briefing for Divisional Directors who will brief the Executive Director. The Executive Director will brief the Lead Member for Children and Young People.


11. Still Missing After 3 Months

If the child continues to be missing after three months, the Divisional Director, Social Care, should consider chairing the meeting on a fortnightly basis to review all the actions taken so far and consider what further action to be taken, until the child is recovered. Once a child has been missing for 6 months, the Executive Director will review the case.


12. Means of Returning a Child


12.1


Looked After Children over 16 years of age
  If the young person is over 16 years old and is looked after, the police may have limited powers to enforce a return home to foster carers/residential care if the young person resists and is not apparently at any risk.  In such situations, the service manager will have to consider whether any further action needs to be taken, in discussion with legal services and the police.  Discussions and decisions should be recorded on the young person's case notes by the social worker.


12.2


The Recovery Order (Section 50, Children's Act 1989)

 

This order can be made when it appears to the court that there is reason to believe that a child who is in care, subject to an Emergency Protection Order or in Police Protection:

  • Has been unlawfully taken away or unlawfully kept way from the responsible person; or
  • Has run away or is staying away from the responsible person; or
  • Is missing.
  12.2.1 The order requires any person who is in a position to do so to produce the child on the request of any authorised person.
  12.2.2 The order may specify the premises into which a constable may enter, search for and remove the child, if it appears to the court that are reasonable grounds for believing the child to be there. The constable so authorised will be entitled to use reasonable force of entry if necessary.
  12.2.3 The order is not time limited and therefore may last until such time as   the child/ young person is recovered.


13. Planning for Return

Contingency plans should be made for when the child is found.  The following considerations should be made when formulating these plans:

  • Will the child/young person return to the previous placement?
  • How will s/he be transported there? (This will normally be arranged by the residential staff/ foster carer or the social worker/ EDT)
  • When do the police wish to interview the child/young person?
  • The child should be interviewed by a party independent of their direct carer.  This could be their social worker, and the meeting should be held within 72 hours of their return. Children who repeatedly leave their placement without permission, but are not at risk should also be offered an independent person to talk to. Consider offering this option when the child has absconded on more than 3 occasions in 28 days.   
  • When would it be appropriate for the social worker visit / independent interview to take place (within the 72 hour timescale)? See Section 16.5 for further details.
  • Should the child/young person have a medical?
  • Consideration of further legal action, for example, an application for a Secure Accommodation Order (see Section 13.2 for further details)
  • Consideration by the police as to whether the situation is an emergency and the removal and accommodation of the child is required (see Section 13.1 for further details)
  • Who will review the lessons learnt?


13.1


Removal and accommodation of children by police in cases of emergency (Section 46, Children's Act 1989)
  If a child who has been reported as missing is located, and it is believed that they would be likely to suffer Significant Harm if they went home, the police may wish to remove and accommodate the child in a suitable placement. This allows the police to take the child to a 'place of safety' for up to 72 hours. After this time, the local authority may wish to apply for an Emergency Protection Order. The police are responsible for informing Children's Social Care, as soon as reasonably practicable, of the steps that have been take, the reasons for these and of any further steps that may be taken. The police should also discuss this with the child, if they are capable of understanding, and take their wishes into account as far as reasonably practicable.


13.2


Provision to place in Secure Accommodation (Section 25, Children's Act 1989)
 

Looked After Children can be placed in secure accommodation if they cannot be prevented from going missing by any other means. This provision only applies if the child/ young person

  • Has a history of absconding and is likely to abscond from any other type of accommodation and
  • They are likely to suffer significant harm if and when they abscond

See Placement in Secure Accommodation Procedure for further information.


14. Statutory Looked After Reviews

During the period when the child is missing, statutory Looked After Reviews must continue to take place.  There should also be a monitoring system in place at all levels of management to ensure reviews continue.  Parents or those with Parental Responsibility (if appropriate) and the police must be invited.  A judgement will need to be made by either the Operational Manager or the Head of Service as to whether legal services should also be invited.


15. Recording

15.1 The social worker must record all occasions where a looked after child has been missing for more than 24 hours as a placement episode using the Missing Codes M1, M2 or M3 and this should be matched with a Missing from Care episode on Framework.

Missing Codes:

  • In Refuge (where a child has been placed elsewhere because they are believed to be at risk of harm and as defined by Section 51, Children's Act 1989)
  • Whereabouts known (Not in refuge)
  • Whereabouts unknown

  The social worker will also need to complete and circulate a Change of Circumstances Form (at Appendix 9 - CD17 Notification of Change Form - to follow). 
15.2 Records will also be maintained of occasions when a child has been missing for less than 24 hours (see Section 6.4). If the number of occasions that a child has been missing for less than 24 hours causes concern then discussions and action planning should take place at the statutory Looked After Review.  
15.3

Managers of children's residential units are expected to maintain records of each occasion when a Looked After Child is identified as 'missing' or having left the premises without permission. These records should be made available for inspection under the Children Act 1989. A template for recording this information can be found at Appendix 11 - Missing Children Monitoring Form.

Foster carers should record similar information using the template. The records should also include:


16. Action on the Child's Return


16.1


Welcome back
  The child should always be welcomed back and concern should be shown by staff and carers. Every attempt should be made to communicate with them about the incident and any information given should be treated sensitively.  If the return occurs in the middle of the night, it should be followed up in more detail as soon as practicable.


16.2


Notify others
  When the child returns, the carer/residential staff should immediately inform the child's social worker, line manager, or EDT. They will then inform the police immediately and send a cancellation report within 24 hours.
  16.2.1 The child/'s social worker should inform the parents or those with Parental Responsibility and other agencies, including the Children's Guardian where appointed, without delay.


16.3


Police Interview
  In missing cases, the police or the Barnardos Missing Child worker will interview the child on their return. The interview consists of a simple series of questions about where the child was whilst missing, where they went, what they did, who they were with etc. If the child makes an allegation of crime that occurred whilst they were missing or that contributed to him/her running away, the police will record this allegation and take appropriate action.


16.4


Partner Meeting
  A meeting should be arranged within 48 hours with all the key people, including parents or those with Parental Responsibility.  The decision to call the meeting should be made by the social worker/line manager.  The meeting should consider whether a Section 47 Enquiry should be started and whether a full medical assessment should take place. If a medical is required the social worker should arrange this to take place as soon as possible.

16.5

Social Worker Visit / Independent Interview
  The social worker and the foster carers' supervising social worker should visit the child within 72 hours of his/her return. This includes children placed in foster care, residential care or at home on a Care Order.
  16.5.1 A person independent of the child's direct carer (normally the Barnardos Missing Child worker should always interview the child within 72 hours of his/ her return. For Looked After Children, it is the responsibility of the residential unit manager/foster carers' supervising social worker and placing authority to ensure that this happens. The Independent Interviewer could be the child's social worker and the interview can be incorporated into the social worker visit. The Return Questionnaire at Appendix 10 - Children Missing From Care Return Questionnaire should be used during the independent interview/social worker visit and a copy should be attached to the child's case notes on Framework.
  16.5.2 If the child wishes to speak to someone other than their social worker for the independent interview, or the social worker has assessed a need for this, the child should be asked who they wish to speak to. The independent person could be a social worker other than their own, or a teacher, school nurse, Connexions, Youth or YOT Worker, a voluntary sector practitioner or a police officer. The independent interview, if required, should be with someone the child/ young person knows and trusts and who is separate from the police and the social worker interview.

The social worker visit or independent interview and the actions following from it must:

  • Identify and deal with any harm the child has incurred (his/her medical condition should be discussed immediately and any need for medical attention assessed)
  • Understand and address the reasons the child ran away (the child's living arrangements/placement might need to be reviewed)
  • Try to avoid it happening again


17. Further Help and Advice - National Missing Person's Helpline (NMPH)

17.1 Social workers should contact the National Missing People Helpline
17.2 The NMPH 24-hour Freefone confidential Helpline 0500 700 700 takes calls from families and people reporting missing persons.
17.3 Children and young people who have been missing should be informed of NMPH's Runaway Helpline. This can be contacted on 0808 800 70 70 and is a national 24 hour freefone helpline for anyone aged 17 or under who has run away or been forced to leave home.  Confidential advice is given, referrals are made to other organisations and they can help a child or young person get to a place of safety or pass on a message.


Appendix 1 - Missing From Care Procedure Flowchart

Click here to view the Missing From Care Procedure Flowchart.


Appendix 2- Summary of Recent Research and Consultation


a)


Current Research Findings in Relation to Children Going Missing from Care and Home

  (taken from London Procedure for Safeguarding Children Missing from Care and Home, published 2006)


1.


Prevalence:
 
  • Research has shown that every year approximately 77,000 under 16s run away overnight.


2.


Profiles of the children:
 
  • Peak ages for running away are between 13 and 16 years old and a quarter are under 11 years old. The risk of harm to a child is increased the younger the child is, and the more frequently they run away
  • The main causes of running away are family conflicts and personal problems such as relationships, substance misuse, bullying and truancy. Children who run away from care are often unhappy with their placement or are influenced by others and do so to 'fit in' with the group
  • Girls are more likely to run away from home than boys, but boys are likely to first run away at an earlier age and to run away more often
  • Among children who go missing from care, those assessed as having emotional and behavioural difficulties are a high risk group. They go missing at a younger age, more often and to stay away longer. They are far more likely to have been excluded from school and to have past convictions for offending than others who go missing.


3.


Patterns of going missing:
 
  • Four out of five children who run away do so only once or twice
  • 20% of children going missing under the age of 16 have been forced to leave home
  • Very few children go outside their local area while missing
  • Children under 16 are most likely to run away because of abuse and neglect. Those who first run away or are forced to leave at the age of 16 or 17 are more likely to do so for reasons of family conflict and breakdown
  • Children in residential placements are more likely to go missing more often than those in foster placements. Children aged 14 and 15 tended to stay away longer than younger children
  • For children who go missing often, there is a progressive risk of detachment from family, carers and school (exclusion or non-attendance)
  • Evidence would suggest that once patterns of school non-attendance and running away become established they are mutually reinforcing
  • Children who go missing often are also more likely to have problems with depression, drugs and alcohol and to have involvement in offending
  • Children with previous convictions are far more likely to run away than those who had none
  • Department of Health and University of York Research found that many cases of children and young people 'running away' from care placements are simply absences without staff permission, or running to stay with families or friends. Distinctions can therefore be made between children/ young people who are 'runaways' and those who are leaving their placement to be with friends. Profiles for these differently motivated looked after children can be found in Table 1 below:

Table 1: Nature of Absence
  Friends Profile Runaways Profile

Age

 Older Younger

Placement type

 More in foster care More in residential care

Absences in past year

 Lower number of absences Higher number of absences

Length of time away

 Away longer Away less time

Immediate reasons

Time with friends/family centred reasons - 51%

Placement centred reasons/personal difficulties - 36%

Time with friends/family centred reasons - 17%

Placement centred reasons/ personal difficulties - 75%

Alone or with others

 More likely alone (62%) More likely with others (53%)

Where stayed

 92% with friends/family

49% with friends/family;

30% slept rough

Offending while away

 27% committed an offence 68% committed and offence

Nature of return

 62% returned voluntarily 48% returned voluntarily

(Derived from Biehal, N. and Wade, J. (2003) 'Children who go missing: Research, Policy and Practice; University of York)

4.

Reasons for going missing:
 
  • For those who ran away repeatedly, particularly high levels of family problems and disruption were identified.
  • Conflict with parents or step-parents is the most common reason given by children for running away. The need to escape difficulties between parents - including domestic violence, drug and alcohol problems and persistent arguments - were a major influence for some young people; as were boundary and control issues and feelings of unfair treatment for others. Running away was rarely motivated by the need for excitement
  • Over a quarter of the children in the Safe on the Streets survey were attempting to escape physical and emotional abuse, rejection or neglect. British and American studies support the finding that abuse and neglect are important factors underlying the decision to run away, especially for children who first run away from home before the age of 11; and even among those who have run away only once or twice
  • Problems at school are only likely to be a direct trigger for running away for a relatively small minority of children


5.


Follow-up Schemes
 
  • Follow-up schemes which:
   
  1. Provide children who run away with an opportunity to talk about their reasons for running away, and
  2. Link children who run away and their families into longer-term help if they need it,
  have been successful in reducing the numbers of young people who run away repeatedly by up to two-thirds and have also achieved a reduction of one-fifth in the number of runaways arrested.


b)


Consultation with Croydon's Looked After Children, November 2006
  The following is a summary of consultation discussions and exercises regarding going missing held with representatives of Croydon's Looked After Children at the Corporate Parenting Consultation Group in November 2006.


1.


Discussion
  Questions asked: Have you ever stayed out later than you agreed with a carer?
Have you ever run away?
  The young people raised the following points:
 
  • One young person said he had regularly been attending a legitimate weekly music activity, which his foster carer knew about and was happy with, however during a review he was told by his social worker that he was not allowed to go. He continued to attend the sessions but was reported as missing every time, despite his foster carer knowing that he was still attending the sessions and was unlikely to be at risk. This young person felt that reviews should not try and change the way a person is by stopping them from participating in activities or stopping them from seeing their friends.
  • The group felt strongly that there is a difference between participating in social and legitimate activities and going missing.
  • In the group's experiences, very strict foster carers and pretty much all care managers will report young people as missing to the police even if they are an hour late and the carer knows where they are. They felt that carers called the police straight away to cover their own backs.
  • The group felt that it is 'easier' for young people in foster carer than in care homes because young people are locked up in care homes, in their experience. The group felt that some foster carers can also be very 'by the book' however.
  • Carers do not always phone the young person when they have stayed out late. If they do, they often say that they are going to report the young person as missing in an effort to make them come home, but this is ineffective.
  • The young people felt that the police do not do anything when someone is reported as missing. One young person told a story of how she had stayed out late and knew that she had been reported as missing to the police. She was walking home on her own and felt very unsafe in an area where there were sex workers and a murder had occurred. She saw a man watching her, so she called the police and said she was a child in care who had been reported as missing a few hours earlier. She was told that the police could not come out to her, as they were busy attending some robberies, however a police officer stayed talking to her on her phone until she got home. This young person was aware that she had potentially been at risk at this time.
  • Some young people felt that an analysis should be made of their friends to ascertain whether they should be able to hang out with them. However, one young person said she had been smoking drugs, drinking and having sex before all of her friends, so stopping her from seeing them would not have made any difference.
  • The young people thought that social workers and carers should look at the reasons why young people are staying out beyond agreed times or going missing.
  • It was felt that foster carers label young people when they come into their care, based on the information that the social worker has told them. However, some members of the group felt that everyone judges and labels people and that it is up to the individual to prove themselves to their new carer.
  • The young people were under the impression that foster carers are given the social work file when the young person joins them. Some felt that the foster carers did not need to be told everything or that they should wait until the young person mentioned an issue before they judged them. There was some disagreement among the group as to what information should be passed on to carers. Some felt that they should not be told about a young person being disruptive at school, however others felt this was important as the foster carer would get calls from the school about their behaviour.
  • The group felt that social workers know everything on the young person's file, however they do not know the individual young people.

2.

Post - it Ideas Storm
 

The following are direct quotes given by members of the consultation group.

Why might young people in care stay out longer than agreed with their carer, or go out without permission

  • They want freedom
  • They don't feel like other 'normal' young people, they aren't allowed to stay at sleepovers etc, so they go anyway
  • Because they find being out more fun than staying in
  • They are having a good time and too much fun
  • Busy with friends, work etc.
  • Spending time with a girlfriend
  • Want to be out with their friends
  • Extra curricula activities
  • On a business meeting
  • They feel they have better things to do
  • They might lose track of time
  • They might not like the time agreed
  • Rebellion
  • Maybe because there is no peace in the house
  • Want control- taking advantage of the fact that their foster carer can't really do anything
  • Because they know their carer can't touch them
  • Peer pressure


Why might young people not want to tell their carer where they are going?

  • Way too much arguments and stress (get in the way of my business)
  • Because it's none of their business and they know if they did, it would cause arguments and the carer would say no
  • They don't think their foster carer will let them go or agree with where they are going
  • They feel monitored
  • It is their personal business
  • The carer might not approve
  • It does not concern the carer
  • Because the young person is not supposed to be there as it is dangerous, etc (party, nightclub, park)
  • Because the young person does not feel confident or there is not trust
  • The carer might turn up uninvited
  • Because the young person feels like the resident social worker will try to send the police to the place they are at


Why might young people in care run away?

  • Don't like their placement
  • Maybe they don't feel valued by people they live with and if they are not listened to
  • They are not being listened to. There is an unresolved issue and there is tension in the house which they want to escape
  • Feel their emotional needs aren't being met
  • Not feeling like part of the 'family' in foster placements
  • Need time to be alone and around loads of young people or staff that can just open their bedroom door when wanted
  • Bullying from other young people in the house
  • Abuse
  • They might feel like an outcast
  • Feel boxed in
  • Feel like a file (being passed around)
  • Used to running from real family so keep playing out the same issue
  • Feel they should be back at home
  • Want to be independent
  • Because if you want to go out they don't let you and that pushes you to run away
  • They're not really running away, they are just going out for as long as they want


If a looked after child went missing, what should a carer or social worker do?

  • Call me before reporting to the police, or else call my friends
  • Call the link worker or social worker
  • If the young person has not come home at the agreed time, the carer should leave it for a period of time before calling the police
  • Carers should behave as if it was their own child

When should the police be called?

  • If the young person is older and the carer knows where they are they should wait until the morning to call the police
  • Depends on the age and maturity of the young person. If a child is under 16 and has not called to say they are staying out, the carer should call the police
  • The young person should call their carer out of courtesy if they are not coming home at the agreed time. This helps to build trust and respect with the carer.
  • Young people should be allowed to stay over at their friend's houses five- ten times a year


Appendix 3 - Pre Incident Risk Assessment

Click here to view Appendix 3


Appendix 4 - Missing Child Risk Assessment Record

Click here to view Appendix 4


Appendix 5 - Missing from Care: Information Sharing Form

Click here to view Appendix 5


Appendix 6 - Strategy Meeting Record

Click here to view Appendix 6


Appendix 7 - Missing From Care Notification

Click here to view Appendix 7


Appendix 8 - Missing Child Report to Assistant and Divisional Directors

Click here to view Appendix 8


Appendix 9 - CD17 Notification of Change Form

This is to follow


Appendix 10 - Children Missing From Care Return Questionnaire

Click here to view Appendix 10


Appendix 11 - Missing Children Monitoring Form

Click here to view Appendix 11


Appendix 12 - Supplementary Procedures of London Child Protection Procedures - Children Missing from Care and Home

Click here to view procedure

End