Missing Child/Young Person One Minute Guide

Missing Child/Young Person One Minute Guide

Definition of ‘missing’

A child is considered missing when their whereabouts cannot be established and there is concern for their safety or well-being.  A child or young person is not missing if they are absent without authorisation or not where they are supposed to be.  For example, this is when young people have not returned home, and after a careful and thorough risk assessment,t their absence does not raise concern for their immediate safety or that of the public.

The College of Policing (2017) Missing People Authorised Professional Practice (APP) defines a missing episode as:  

‘Anyone whose whereabouts cannot be established will be considered as missing until located and their well-being or otherwise confirmed”

 All reports of missing people sit within a continuum of risk from ‘no apparent risk’ through to high-risk cases that require immediate, intensive action.’ Please note that whilst very low risk sits within the continuum, it will NOT be applied to missing children across North Yorkshire and instead the starting position for a missing child procedure for North Yorkshire Police will be “medium” risk or higher.

We all have a responsibility to safeguard the young and vulnerable.   When a child or young person goes missing or runs away from home, they are at risk.

We recommend that this document is read alongside the North Yorkshire and City of York Joint Protocol for Children who go Missing from Home and Care.

Why do children and young people run away?

Children and young people may go missing due to:

• Abuse, neglect, or conflict at home
• Seeking someone or somewhere they feel safe
• Coercion or grooming linked to exploitation
• Online Grooming

Missing episodes are often symptoms of wider issues and should never be treated in isolation.

What risks do children and young people face when they go missing?

Children who go missing may be exposed to:

• Criminal exploitation (e.g. County Lines)
• Sexual exploitation
• Substance misuse
• Physical and emotional harm
• Loss of education
• Homelessness

What should I do when I believe a child has gone missing?

Immediate actions before contacting the police.

A missing person is “anyone whose whereabouts cannot be established”.  A person will be considered missing until they are located and their well-being or otherwise confirmed.

A child or young person is not missing if they are absent without authorisation or not where they are supposed to be.  For example, this is when young people have not returned home, and after a careful and thorough risk assessment, their absence does not raise concern for their immediate safety or that of the public.

What should I do when I believe a child has gone missing?

Make proactive efforts to locate the child:

• Check the home, garden, and nearby areas
• Contact the child via phone or social media
• Speak to friends, family, and known contacts
• Record all steps taken

If the child remains missing, contact North Yorkshire Police and provide full details of your search efforts.

• Where a young person is in care in a residential home, National Minimum Standards require that staff actively search for young people when they are not where they are expected to be.

Where a missing episode involving a child in care does not necessitate a report to the police, details of the incident should be recorded in line with any care plans and other social care policies.

What if the child or young person’s location is identified?

If the child or young person’s location is identified, then they will not be considered as missing.  They are “not where they are supposed to be”, and the Police should NOT be called.

Continue to make enquiries to ascertain the safety of the child or young person and proactively look for the young person. If the situation changes, then re-evaluate.

If a child or young person is “not where they are supposed to be” but you believe that they are at “risk of harm” at the location they are known to be at, then report this to the Police as a “Concern for welfare of a child or young person at risk of harm”.  For example, where a child is staying over and refusing to leave a house where there is known drug dealing or in a residence of a known sex offender, a child or young person would not be classed as missing.

If they are NOT missing but are at risk. You must record and relay to the police your reasons/concerns for believing they are at risk.

If you believe the child has been abducted or forcibly removed, this should be reported to the Police immediately on 999.

Where a missing episode involving a child in care does not necessitate a report to the police, details of the incident should be recorded in line with any care plans and other social care policies in line with Philomena Protocols

What if I am unable to locate the child or young person

If, after your enquiries, you cannot locate the child or young person, they will be considered as MISSING, and you should report them to the police as missing.  When reporting a child or young person as missing to the police, you should provide details of:

• The child or young person, i.e. name, age, description and provide a photograph if available
• The searches and enquiries you have carried out
• Any mission action plans, if available
• Known associates,s such as friends, family, etc,. who they may reach out to
• The background of the child, including any previous missing episodes and partnership information if available
• Any physical or mental impairments that might impact the child’s level of development, functioning, understanding or appreciation of risk
• Any present circumstances and any reasonably foreseeable risks, and
• Any other information which may be relevant to assessing the level of risk to the child

The risk level will be assessed by the police based on the information and enquiries you have made. The risk grading will be decided by the police, and they will take the appropriate action.

Regardless of the police action, unless advised not to do so by the police, for example, in the case of serious risk of harm / high-risk cases, you should continue to make enquiries and proactively look for the child or young person. Pass any further information to the police, and if you locate or establish the whereabouts of the child or young person, their status changes to “absent without authorisation”.

Quick Reference: When to Report to Police

– Location unknown → Report as missing

– Location known, child at risk → Report as concern for welfare

– Location known, no risk → Do not report to police

How will risk be assessed?

When a child or young person is considered missing, they will be risk assessed as follows:

Low

The risk of harm to the child/young person, or the public, is assessed as possible but minimal. Proportionate enquiries will be carried out to ensure the child/young person has not come to harm.

Medium

The risk of harm to the child/young person, or the public, is assessed as likely but not serious.

This requires an active and measured response by the police and other agencies to trace the child/young person and support the person reporting.

High

The risk of serious harm to the child/young person or the public is assessed as very likely.

This category almost always requires the immediate deployment of police resources. This will include a senior management officer being involved, appointing an investigating officer, police search advisers and a possible press strategy.

What happens if the child/young person is found?

When a reported child/young person returns or is located and returned to a safe place other than by the Police, the Police must be notified as soon as possible by the parent or carer. At this point, the child’s parents or carers will be asked if there is anything the Police need to know about or act on immediately. If there is, e.g. the child has been the victim of a crime whilst missing, the police will prioritise their attendance; if not, the Police will arrange for a ‘Safe & Well Check’ to be conducted as soon as possible but within 24 hours.

Return to Home Interview (RTHI)

Every child who goes missing should be offered a Return to Home Interview by an independent professional from North Yorkshire Council’s Children & Families Service. This helps:

• Understand why the child went missing
• Identify any harm experienced
• Plan support to prevent future episodes

It is important to understand why they went missing, protect them from harm and prevent future missing episodes.  The approach taken by professionals towards a missing child or young person can have a significant impact on how the child or young person engages with any subsequent investigations and protection planning. A supportive approach, actively listening and responding to a child or young person’s needs, will have a greater chance of preventing the child or young person from going missing again and safeguarding them against other risks.

RTHIs should be offered regardless of the length or frequency of the missing episode. Declined interviews should be recorded, and efforts made to re-engage

Where can I find more information?

For more information, please see the Missing from Home and Care Joint Protocol available from: NYSCP

More information can also be accessed at our Be Aware knowledge Hub here: NYSCP

Page reviewed: August 2025