Missing from Home and Care

1. Introduction

The following procedures set out how Lewisham Children’s Social Care respond to missing children/young people and manage the associated safeguarding risks. The missing procedures have been developed in line with Lewisham’s Exploitation Strategy and the procedures governing the Concern Hub.

The missing procedures cover all children/ young people who live in Lewisham and all children/young people who Lewisham have corporate parenting responsibilities for, this includes Care Leavers up to the age of 25. In the procedures the term ‘Children/Young People’ relates solely to children and young people blow the age of 18 years old. In the procedures only relate to young people aged 18 – 25 years old if Lewisham has corporate parenting responsibilities for them. In the procedures these young people are referred to as ‘Care Levers’ (see Section 3, Missing Care Leavers).

The missing procedures set out the various responsibilities Lewisham Children’s Social Care staff have in relation to missing children/young people and care leavers. The procedures cover the process for reporting, managing and prevention of missing and related risks. As with all contacts the MASH is the first point of contact for missing reports and will log episodes and contacts on LCS. The allocated social work team have responsibility for the initial response to a missing contact in terms of holding a strategy meeting and liaising with police, parents or foster carers.

The Missing Coordinator (Safe Space Service) has responsibility for monitoring missing episodes and providing return home interviews. The service aim to offer and deliver a Return Home Interview to all children and young people within 72 hours of their return home or to their placement. This service is open to all children irrespective of Local Authority involvement, this includes CLA, CP, CIN as well children who are not open to Children’s Social Care.

• London Safeguarding Children Procedures;
• Statutory Guidance: Children who run away or go missing from home or care;
• Operation Philomena (Met Police);
• Lewisham SMA Guidance;
• Concern Hub TOR (Lewisham Council - The Multi-agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH));
• Lewisham Exploitation Strategy;
• Grab Pack Risk Assessment;
• Lewisham CSC practice guide (strategy meetings).

2. Definition

As the lead agency in the investigation and location of missing children/young people, the Metropolitan Police Service, will respond to children/young people going missing or absent based on continuous risk assessment. Police will prioritise their response to all incidents of missing children in line with their classification of ‘missing’ or ‘absent’ and on-going risk assessment that outcome as medium or high risk. The Police use the following definition’s for missing children.

• Missing: ‘Anyone whose whereabouts cannot be established and where the circumstances are out of character or the context suggests the person may be subject of crime or at risk of harm to themselves or another'.
• Absent: A person who’s whereabouts is known but is not at a place where they are expected or required to be'.

The definition of a missing child does not differ for the Police or Children’s Social Care. However agency responses will differ depending on the age, vulnerability and circumstances that lead to the child going missing. As a corporate parent Children’s Social Care have additional responsibilities for children in our care who go missing, for clarification the following definitions are provided.

• Missing From Home: A child whose whereabouts cannot be established - where the circumstances are out of character or there are indicators to suggest that the child may be at risk of harm to themselves or others. Any child who fits the above definition, where there are additional concerns regarding CSE, gangs, radicalisation, FGM, forced marriage etc…should be considered ‘missing’ and not ‘absent’ (reasonable professional judgement).
• Missing from Care: Includes children that have stayed out longer than allowed (unauthorised absence), run away (missing) and/or been removed from care by an adult (missing). A child where the circumstances are out of character or there are indicators to suggest that the child may be at risk of harm to themselves or others. (Including additional concerns regarding CSE, gangs, radicalisation, FGM, forced marriage etc.) Should be considered ‘missing’ and not ‘absent’ (reasonable professional judgement).
• Absent/Away from Placement without Authorisation: A looked after child whose whereabouts is known but who is not at their placement or place they are expected to be.

If a looked after child is considered to be ‘away from placement without authorisation’ then the carer or social worker (as appropriate) should work to ascertain the wellbeing of the child through, where appropriate, visiting the location and contacting the child. If there are additional concerns that the child may be at risk of significant harm, then police should be notified, and action taken to address the risk.

3. Missing Care Leavers

The Local Authority continues to have a range of responsibilities towards young people leaving care until the young person's 21st and in some instances their 25th birthday.

If it is believed that a Care Leaver has gone missing and there are concerns about their whereabouts or safety. The Personal Advisor (PA) should try and locate the care leaver by visiting their home, contact them by phone, email and checking with any relevant family members, or other significant person.

If it is established that a care leaver is missing the Personal Advisor or relevant support Worker should report them to the police as a missing person using 101. The worker should advise the police of any additional safeguarding concerns, and other information that my help locate the young person.

The police will treat the young person as an adult and will lead the search to find the missing young adult.

The Personal Advisor should consider if the care leaver is at risk of criminal exploitation, sexual exploitation or youth violence, which warrants a referral to the concern hub.

If the care leaver remains missing for over 48 hours the PA should organise a meeting including any relevant professional.

When the care leaver returns home the allocated PA should arrange home visits, within 3 working days, to discuss the missing episode and consider any safeguarding concerns; and how these might be managed.

4. Prevention and Planning

It is important that agencies, carers, families and young people work in partnership to proactively reduce missing related risks. We may not know when a child or young person is going to go missing, however for many children and young people it is possible to predict the risk of them going missing. We know that certain children and young people are more likely to go missing and may be at increased risk of exploitation and harm while missing. Social Workers and the professional network need to be proactive and consider what steps can be taken to reduce the risk of a child or young person going missing in the first place. If we believe a child or young person is going to go missing or frequently goes missing, we need to consider what work we can do with them, to help them to stay safe when they are out in the community.

It is important to gather information in advance from RHI’s, Police Reports and other sources to develop an understating of where a child or young person is likely to be located when they are missing. This information should be included in Grab Pack (risk assessment) so that the police have access to any relevant information to help them locate the child or young person.

Grab Pack- Risk Assessment

The Grab Pack is a risk assessment tool developed by the police, which can used by Lewisham CSC staff when assessing and managing missing related risks. A Grab Pack – Risk Assessment should be completed on any open cases where there is a risk that a child or young person may go missing.

The Grab Pack - Risk Assessment should take into account individual circumstances.

The assessment of risk should as a minimum consider:

• The likelihood of the child/young person going missing (push and pull factors);
• The risks that the child/young person is likely to face whilst missing;
• Measures to mitigate the risk of the child/young person going missing;
• Actions that need to be taken if the child/young person goes missing.

The Grab Pack Risk Assessment should be shared with Police and the professional network. If a child or young person has additional risk concerns (such as serious youth violence or child sexual exploitation) and there is a specialised risk assessment on file, then this should also be shared with Police. Grab Pack-Risk Assessment should be updated as and when the risk changes or every 3 months.

The Grab Pack (Risk Assessment) should contain all relevant information to assist the Police in locating and returning the child or young person. The information contained in the Grab Pack (risk assessment) is invaluable as a tool to assist in locating the child/young person and therefore minimise risks at the earliest opportunity. The updated form must be provided to the police when a child/young person is reported missing. The form must be completed as thoroughly as possible. A copy should be scanned and retained on the child's/young person’s LCS record. If a child or young person goes missing the “Grab Pack” must be provided to Police.

As a minimum the Grab Pack (risk assessment) should contain up to date details of:

• Name, gender and date of birth;
• Ethnicity, first language and any additional communication needs;
• Description of individual, including clothing and any tattoos or piercing;
• Any street name or alias;
• A recent photo;
• Family address/es;
• Addresses of known friends or acquaintances;
• Any previous episode/s of being missing;
• Name and address of child / young person’s GP;
• Legal status;
• Any previous links with street based agencies;
• Efforts made already to locate the child / young person;
• Any circumstances thought to increase risk;
• Most recent completed risk assessment.
• Contingency arrangements in the care/pathway plan and placement agreement.
• For UASC other considerations will also need to be taken into account such as their ethnicity, nationality, language, communities and being at a high risk of Criminal Exploitation and Trafficking. Therefore it will be necessary to involve other key agencies; such as the Home Office (there is a specific Department which deals with Missing children/young people) and Refugee Council, in order to share information/knowledge on UASC from different countries, and for the child/young person to be added to their data base

Missing from Home

Missing related risk should be considered by Social Workers as a part of the assessment process. If a Child & Family assessment identifies missing related risks, the risks should be addressed in the child or young person’s plan and regularly reviewed at CIN and Core Group meetings. Children or Young People who go missing may be at increased risk of Criminal Exploitation and Child Sexual Exploitation, Radicalisation or Serious Youth Violence. If any of these risks are a concern a risk marker should be placed on the case file.

A RHI should be offered in response to each missing episode. If the child, young person, parent or carer declined an RHI when contacted by the missing coordinator, the conversation should be recorded on the file including any safety planning or advice that was provided.

It is best practice that all case files have an up to date Grab Pack Risk Assessment recorded on LCS, if the child or young person has a history of going missing.

Missing from Care

In order to mitigate risks to children and young people when they go missing, planning for every eventuality is necessary. Therefore the risks of going missing must be discussed throughout the child’s journey of becoming looked after. It is important to consider missing related risks when considering the appropriateness of a specific placement for a child or young person.

At the first Placement Planning Meeting the risk of going missing and associated risks must be discussed. Carers and support/key workers need to be informed of any identified risks and the agreed response. If there is a risk of the child or young person going missing, the allocated Social Worker should start a Grab Pack (Risk Assessment) and this should be updated for each looked after review.

The risk of a child going missing must be included on the agenda for the first Child Looked After Review. The allocated SW should ensure this is referred to within the report and the IRO should ensure discussion about the risk of a child being missing and the responses needed are clearly recorded within the Chair’s report.

A Grab Pack - Risk Assessment will be completed prior to each accommodation arrangement of a Child Looked After. Children's Social Care must consider within the planning process all potential risks to the child including an assessment of the potential for them to go missing. The Grab Pack Risk Assessments should be shared with the carer, the police and host Local Authority (if the child is placed out of borough) and relevant members of the professional network.

Residential Care and Semi Independent Accommodation

In accordance with Operation Philomena when a child or young person is placed in a residential or semi-independent placement a Grab Pack (risk assessment) should be completed. This contains all relevant information to assist the Police in locating and returning the child/young person. The information contained in the form is invaluable as a tool to assist in locating the child/young person and therefore minimise risks at the earliest opportunity. The updated form must be provided to the police when a child/young person is reported missing. The form must be completed as thoroughly as possible (see above).

Information for Children Looked After

All children who are Looked After by the Local Authority should receive information, which advises them:

• The procedure to be followed if they go missing;
• That there is an expectation they will speak to a Police Officer on their return;
• That they will be offered the opportunity to speak to an independent person);
• All files of children looked after should have a recent photograph of the child or young person;
• That the child/young person will be offered a return interview with the Missing Response worker;
• That their Independent Reviewing Officer will be informed that they are missing or absent.

5. Reporting and Recording Missing Children/Young People

Pre-Reporting's Steps

Before reporting a child/young person missing to the Police there are a number of measures that the parent or carer or residential care provider will be expected to undertake to try and locate the child/young person and ascertain his or her safety.

• Searching the accommodation and surrounding area;
• Search the home for any important leads e.g. phones, notes, diaries, letters, email and web activity and social media which may inform the investigation and/or assist in recovering or protecting the child/young person;
• Check oyster card travel (if can be viewed online);
• Speaking with other children/young people in the family or home/accommodation to obtain any relevant information about the child/young person;
• Trying to contact the child/young person themselves or family friends or associates as relevant;
• Contact appropriate settings such as hospitals, schools and other places the child/young person is known to frequent.

If the child or young person is placed with a residential/semi-independent provider signed up to Operation Philomena, the provider and police should follow the established reporting protocol under the operation.

Responsibility for reporting a missing child/young person

It is the responsibility of a parent/carer to report a child or young person missing to the police. If the child is looked after it is normally the foster carer or residential/key worker on duty that has responsibility for reporting a child or young person missing to the police. This should be done by phone using the police 101 number. The timing of when to report a child or young person missing will vary depending on the child or young person’s age and related risks.

If a social worker or other professional is informed that a child or young person is missing from home or care/their accommodation, they must advise them to report a child or young person missing to the police. The social worker should check that this has been done.

Professionals working with a child or young person who is believed to be missing from home have a duty to support the parent to report the child or young person as missing. If, for some reason, the parent does not undertake this action then the professional should contact the police themselves and have the above information to hand.

Emergency Duty Team (out of office hour’s service) may be notified directly by another professional, a parent / carer, member of the public or placement provision. EDT will advise them of their duty to report the child/young person missing to the Police by calling 101. EDT should confirm that the missing child or young person has been reported missing to the police. MASH will initiate the missing episode on LCS following police notification

In exceptional circumstances allocated cases and with prior agreement from the police at the concern hub, other professionals can report children or young people missing to the police. This should only be considered in high risk cases where the parents are unlikely to report the child missing.

Grab Pack (Risk Assessment)

The foster carer or residential social worker/accommodation provider is usually the last one to have seen the child/young person and therefore in most circumstances they will be the most appropriate person to report the child/young person missing and ensure that the Police receive a copy of the Grab Pack (risk assessment).

Recording and Processing Missing Reports

After a child/young person has been reported missing to the police, the police will take any necessary immediate action depending on the nature of the risk and on the individual situation.

The police will generate a report (Merlin, P78 or PAC) this will be sent directly to the MASH. This police report will include the circumstances in which the child/young person has been reported missing. If the child/young person is not allocated to Children’s Social Care, the police report will include any relevant police research.

To avoid any delay in notification the police also provide a Daily Missing List each morning. The daily missing list is reviewed by the Missing Co-ordinator and any children or young people who require a missing episode are progressed to MASH.

The MASH are responsible for logging missing episodes and contacts on LSC.

• If the missing child or young person does not reside in the Local Authority and/or is not looked after by Lewisham. The MASH will notify the Local Authority with responsibility for the child and take no further action;
• If the missing child or young person has an allocated Social Worker – the allocated social work team will be notified by MASH using an LCS contact. MASH will initiate a missing episode on the LCS system and send it to the Missing Co-ordinators tray for monitoring;
• If the missing child or young person resides in the borough of Lewisham but is not open to CSC. The MASH will create a contact and missing episode on LCS. The missing episode will be sent to the Missing Co-ordinators tray who will monitor the case through communication with the police and on-going risk assessments. The MASH will review the information in the police report to consider if statutory social work service is needed.

If an unallocated child or young person remains missing for 48 hours. The Missing Co-ordinator will notify the MASH. The MASH will open a contact on LCS and progress a referral to a statutory social work service.

6. Responding to Children Missing from Home or Care

The allocated Social Worker or Team Manager should make contact with the police when they are made aware of the missing episode. The Social worker should ensure that the police are aware of any additional safeguarding concerns or vulnerabilities and check if the police have an up to date Grab Pack-Risk Assessment (if one has been completed).

The Police will classify the degree of risk when a child or young person goes missing from home or care/their accommodation. The Police will prioritise all incidents of children missing from home or care/their accommodation as low, medium or high risk in accordance with their risk assessment framework set out below.

The Police will agree the initial risk grading of a missing child within 2 hours of the time of origin. This will follow appraisal by the initial investigating officer. Merlin (Police notification) reports will be created in all cases within 4 hours of the time of origin (unless deemed high risk in which case it will be done immediately - see below).

High Risk
A missing child incident would be categorised as high risk where the risk posed is immediate and there are substantial grounds to suspect that the child is in danger through their own vulnerability or may have been the victim of a serious crime. The high risk category would also be used where there are substantial grounds to believe that the public is in danger as a result of the child’s missing episode. The high risk category requires the immediate deployment of Police resources. The Merlin will be created immediately. MPS will ensure that a member of the senior management team or similar command level must be involved in the examination of the initial enquiry lines and approval of appropriate staffing levels in order to locate and protect the child as soon as possible. A (senior) investigating officer will be appointed who will lead the investigation and agree the media strategy, family support arrangements and liaison with Lewisham and other agencies involved with the family.

Medium Risk
A child would be prioritised as medium risk where the risk posed is likely to place the child in danger or they are a threat to themselves and others. This category requires an active and measured response by the Police and other agencies in order to trace the missing child and support the family or carers. The Police will lead a proactive investigation and search to locate and protect the child as soon as possible.

Low Risk
The category is used where children are not thought to be in immediate danger or a threat to themselves or others. Children aged 17 and under CAN be considered in this category where established circumstances dictate. ‘Regular’ episodes of missing are often a sign of significant risk and therefore low risk should not be an automatic consideration without further rationale.

Strategy Meeting

A formal strategy meeting should be convened if a missing child or young person is believed to be at risk of significate harm or has been missing for 48 hours (24 hours for CLA). The timing of a strategy meeting needs to be considered on a case by case basis, taking in consideration the level, risk and vulnerability factors, in some cases where there are additional safeguarding concerns for example criminal exploitation, trafficking, sexual exploitation a strategy meeting may be required immediately. However a strategy meeting must take place if child or young person has not been located within 48 hours (children at home) or 24 hours for CLA.

The strategy meeting should be chaired by the relevant Team Manger or Advanced Practitioner and needs to include police, health and any relevant professionals. In the case of UASC, a representative from the Refugee Council should also be contacted/invited and the Home Office should be notified where Trafficking is suspected. If there is additional evidence to suggest that the missing child or young person is at risk of significant harm a Section 47 inquiry needs to be considered, if the safeguarding concerns relate to exploitation or youth violence a referral should be made to the concern hub. The strategy meeting minutes should be recorded using the standard strategy form on the LCS case file.

Strategy Meetings where missing is the focus should consider the following:

• Any further steps that could be taken to locate and recover the child / young person, this includes undertaking corporate parenting duties such as visiting addresses where children are suspected to be;
• If the child has been located any steps that could be taken to prevent the child going missing again;
• Whether to circulate the child / young person’s details via Lewisham’s Service Manager Quality & Safeguarding to other local authorities and agencies in areas in which s/he may be;
• Notifying national authorities and agencies including the National Missing Persons Unit, Home Office/Refugee Council, Social Security, the Benefits Agency and Child Benefit Agency;
• Appropriate legal interventions and consulting legal services if there is any suspicion that the child may be removed from UK jurisdiction (this may include contact with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office);
• The use of Abduction Notices by the Police where it is likely that a child/young person is being harboured by an adult.

The meeting should also address the following issues:

• Is it safe for the child / young person to return to the previous placement / continue to stay at the placement?
• How will s/he be taken to the placement?
• Should a medical be undertaken?
• Do police wish to make further enquiries before the child or young person returns to her/his placement?
• Should a pre-disruption / disruption meeting be convened when s/he is located?
• Provision made for the child to be offered a Return Home Interview;
• Is the child at risk of being trafficked?
• Is it appropriate to apply for a Recovery Order?
• Should a pre-secure planning meeting be requested.

Safety Planning

For cases where a Missing Strategy meeting has been held it is important that a Missing Safety Plan is recorded and incorporated into the current plan (i.e. CLA, CP, CIN & PwP) detailing the multi-professional safeguarding response to the child/young person and actions and responsibilities from the Missing Meeting. This may include, but is not limited to, the following:

• Responsibility of professionals/services in supporting the child/young person upon return;
• Considerations and focus that may need to be taken in the Return to Home Interview;
• Information to be gathered and passed to Police to support in locating the child/young person;
• Preventative and support work that may be offered to the child/young person;
• Additional support to be provided to parent/s, carers or placement provision around reporting missing;
• Review dates for any further Meetings.

7. Missing Notifications

The Quality Improvement Service will undertake notification to other Local Authorities, when recommended at the strategy meeting.

If a child or young person is still missing after 48 hours the allocated social work team will consult with their Head of Service to consider making a formal Senior Manager Alert.

Any decision to develop a media strategy or contact the press about a missing child or young person should not be made until a discussion with the Director, has been held. A consultation with child’s family (where appropriate) should be completed and advice received from the police divisional commander or her/his nominated officer.

For Children Looked After, the Social Worker will inform the child’s Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) when the child has returned.

8. Return to Home/Placement/Accommodation

Reporting that child/young person has been found or returned home

If a child or young person returns home or is found by parents or family. The parents should immediately inform the police and if possible the allocated social worker.

If a child or young person is found by the police, the police will check the information in the grab pack or trigger plan and any recovery actions agreed in the strategy plan. The police should consult with the social work team or EDT and the child’s parents. Unless there are significant safeguarding concerns to prevent the child/young person returning home, the police should make arrangements for the parents to collect the child or for the child to be taken home by police.

The police will send a Merlin to the MASH with details of the child’s return home.

Reporting that a CLA has been found or returned Care

If a child or young person returns to placement or is found by Foster Carer or Residential Worker. The Foster Carer or Residential Worker should immediately inform the police and if possible the allocated social worker or EDT.

If a child or young person is found by the police, the police will check the information in the grab pack or trigger plan and any recovery actions agreed in the strategy plan. The police should consult with the social worker team or EDT and Foster Carer or Residential Worker. The responsibility for returning a CLA to their placement should be negotiated between Children’s Social Care and the service provider. In some circumstances the police may agree to assist.

Unless there are significant safeguarding concerns to prevent the child returning home, the police should make arrangements for the parents to collect

The child or for the child to be taken home by police.

The police will send a Merlin to the MASH with details of the child’s/young person’s return.

MASH - Return Home Notifications

The MASH will process police report and EDT contacts confirming that a child or young person has returned home or to placement.

• Allocated Cases if there is open contact relating to missing episode, the MASH Contact Officer will add the information to LCS in accordance with the blocked pathway rule. If there is not an open contact the MASH Contact Officer will open contact and place in team duty tray;
• Unallocated cases MASH will open a contact or update existing contact. The MASH AP or TM will then make threshold decision based on all the information available;
• All cases MASH will inform the Missing Coordinator who will allocate a RHI.

Return Home Interview

Every child / young person that goes missing will be offered a Return Home Interview (RHI), by a Missing Coordinator. The interview should be initiated and completed within 72 hours of the child’s/young person’s return to his or her home or care/accommodation setting.

Return Home Interviews are offered in a voluntary capacity, with parental consent. The consent of the child or young person also needs to be given appropriate consideration.

The purpose of a RHI is to offer the child/young person a space in which they can reflect upon, discuss and/or disclose information relating to the circumstances of why they went missing and what happened to them during their time missing. A RHI also addresses any concerns that the child may have and can be used as way of offering support to the child/young person. In addition a safety plan should be made with the child/young person

It is important that information gathered in a RHI is shared (as appropriate). For all children/young people allocated to a statutory social worker, it is the social workers responsibility to review the RHI form (on LCS) and take forward any recommendations or information shared by the child. For cases open to Early Help Services, it is also important that they review the RHI document (saved on EHM) and address any concerns. The RHI should be seen within the context of the overall plan to safeguard the child and not an isolated piece of work.

9. Recording

Throughout the missing process the Social Work Team/Leaving Care Service should provide clear recording of procedures, communication and rationale on EHM/LCS.

Residential Units, Foster Carers and semi-independent placements should be advised to keep records of missing and absent episodes in their log-books. This information should be shared with the multi-professional team.

The Police will record all details of contacts and enquiries made as a part of the investigation into tracing, locating and the return of the child or young person.

10. Early Help Services Response to Missing Children

If a child or young person open to Early Help goes missing, the same reporting process should be followed.

Reporting and Responding to Missing:

• If another professional informs an Early Help Service practitioner that a child or young person is missing: then the practitioner needs to advise the professional that it is their duty to report that child missing to the Police by calling 101 and support them to do so;
• If a parent or carer informs an Early Help Service practitioner that a child or young person is missing: the practitioner should encourage the parent to report the child missing to the Police by calling 101, and provide support to enable them to do so. They should also encourage the parent or carer to write down the Police reference number (CAD number) so that this can be recorded;
• If the practitioner does not feel sure that a parent or carer has reported the child/young person missing to the Police or the parent/carer does not feel able to do so and gives their consent – then the practitioner will need to report the child missing to Police by calling 101 directly;
• If a parent or carer refuses to report a child missing and refuses to give the Early Help Service practitioner consent for them to report the child missing to police then an immediate referral to The MASH (using the MASH request form) will need to be made - advising them that the child/young person is missing.

In all of the above situations the practitioner will need to record that the child/young person is missing and their professional response on the child’s/young person’s case-note. If a practitioner has reported a child/young person missing to the police then they will need to record the Police reference (CAD number) on the child’s/young person’s case-notes.

If the Child or Young Person remains missing for more than 48 hours or that there is information to indicate the child/young person is at risk of significant harm the MASH will progress to R&A or Safe Space for Strategy meeting. The expectation is that the case will remain open to Early Help, until the social work team have completed their assessment.

11. Monitoring

Allocated Cases

The Allocated Team Manager is responsible for responding to the missing contact on LCS. The Team Manager should ensuring that strategy meeting takes place with in time scale depending on the nature of the risk.

The relevant Head of Service have responsibility for ensuring staff adhere to the agreed Lewisham Children Missing from Home or Care Guidance.

Unallocated Cases

The Missing Co-ordinator has oversight of missing episodes and is responsible for alerting MASH if unallocated child or young person has been missing for 48 hours. The Missing Co-ordinator will also liaise with allocated Team Managers if a child or young person is missing for over 48 hours.

The Concern Hub monitors individual cases were the missing child or young person is at risk or significant harm and is chaired by the Group Manager for Safe Space, the police and Violence Reduction Manager

12. Missing Process Map for Children and Young People (under 18)

The process for care leavers is set in Section 3, Missing Care Leavers.

Click here to view the Missing Process Map for Children and Young People (under 18).