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Contents

1. Definitions
2. Preventative Steps
3. Notification of Absence
4. A Child who is Absent without Consent
5. Informing the Media
6. Recording
7. Planning for the Child’s Return
8. The Child's Return
9. Missing During External Activity of a Residential Home

1. Definitions

Absent Child is the generic term for Looked After Children who are Missing, whose absence is without consent or who have Absconded.

For the purposes of this procedure a child is to be considered “missing” if he/she is absent from his/her place of residence without consent or in circumstances, where the absence causes concern for the safety of the child or where there is a potential danger to the public. “Missing” children under this definition include children on a curfew who have not returned by the time the curfew comes into force.

1.1 Missing

Absences which cause concern are those where staff or carers have no indication that a child is likely to return in a short space of time or where the child’s location is unknown, and there is cause for concern for the safety of the child or others because of his or her vulnerability.

1.2 Absent without Consent

Clearly some children absent themselves for a short period and then return: often their whereabouts are known. They are not considered at risk and usually they are testing boundaries. 

Sometimes children stay out longer than agreed either on purpose or unwittingly. This kind of boundary testing activity is well within the range of normal teenage behaviour and does not come within the definition of “missing” for the purposes of this procedure. These children should be regarded as children “who are absent without consent”.

When abduction is suspected, this procedure will not apply and the situation should be dealt with and referred to the Police as a criminal matter.

1.3 Absconded

This category would apply to a child for whom the Police have the power to arrest e.g. where bail conditions have been breached. It should be recognised that children who fit this criteria may also be vulnerable and at risk. 

1.4 Deciding Which category

If a child informs the carer where s/he is going before leaving the home and if his/her whereabouts are known and if the child doesn’t return home at the stated time, a telephone call should be made by the carer to ascertain whether the child is at the given address. If the child is there and s/he states that s/he is not returning to the home, this may not be desirable but it is not a matter for the Police Service unless the carer has reasonable cause to believe the child would otherwise be likely to suffer Significant Harm. If the carer is in doubt they should contact the on-call duty manager or the emergency duty social work team for guidance.

In assessing how to categorise a child’s absence, all staff/carers will apply the above definitions and, in addition, take the following into consideration:

• Guidance already incorporated in the child’s Care Plan and/or Placement Plan/Placement Information Record
• The age of the child
• The legal status of the child and whether the absence is out of character
• Whether there is a crime in progress such as an abduction
• State of mind at time of absence
• Previous behaviour patterns
• Time of day/night and weather conditions
• History of self-harm or mental health issues
• History of absence
• Physical/learning disability
• Whether the child has access to medication or ongoing medical treatment
• A history of involvement in violent, homophobic or racist behaviour
• Whether the child is perceived as running to someone or running from a situation
• Any information available on the likely whereabouts of the child and whether they are being harboured by someone who would pose a risk to them
• Any other particular circumstances at time of incident
• History of inappropriate sexual exploitation

The categorisation of the absence should be reviewed every six hours.

In responding to and managing an individual child’s absence from care, both Children's Social Care Services and Police staff should beware of dismissing the potential significance of multiple absconding by a young offender. Often such children are immediately labelled as “the problem” and insufficient consideration is given to considering why they are persistently absenting themselves.

When a child goes missing the staff or carer should make appropriate enquiries and searches as to the child’s whereabouts. They should then inform the Police immediately and they will decide on the level of concern and urgency that the situation requires following discussion with the staff or carer.

2. Preventative Steps

During the planning of an admission of a child to be looked after or a change of a child’s placement, or should circumstances require it, consideration should be given to the probability of the child going missing, and the risk involved for the child.

The discussion should include the following and be recorded in the Care Plan and/or the Placement Plan/Placement Information Record.

1. Previous behaviours and the risk of the child going missing
2. The appropriate level of supervision/support to be offered to the child
3. The parents’ advice on what action they feel should be taken if the child goes missing. Including at what point they would wish to be informed
4. The level of risk presented if the child goes missing
5. Frequented addresses
6. Adults Involved where child may be at risk

Where there is a risk of the child absenting him/herself, the child’s social worker should complete a “Police Missing Persons Enquiry Form” for a child at/prior to the placement. The details on this Form will contain key information that will help the Police to undertake an assessment of risk if the child goes missing. 

The child’s social worker in conjunction with the carer should update the Form after each missing episode or any other significant change. A photograph of the child should also be obtained in a non-stigmatising manner for use in any Missing Person’s Enquiry.

If there are concerns expressed about the child going missing measures should be described in the Behaviour Plan to reduce the likelihood of this happening

If there is a significant risk of the child going missing, the child’s social worker will discuss with the parent and carer this possibility and the possible responses outlined in this procedure. 

Where considered appropriate, the child should be given a copy of this procedure and have explained to him/her what actions will be taken if he/she absents him or herself, including the right to be interviewed by an independent person on their return and be given a choice as to who that person will be. 

(Information and addresses about available advocacy services and how to access them should be included in the Children’s Guide in children's homes).

3. Notification of Absence

When a child absents him/herself without permission, every effort should be made by staff or carers to locate the child. In addition, it is necessary to initiate procedures which encourage him or her to return as quickly and safely as possible, ensuring he/she is treated positively on return.

If a child’s absence from a residential home is a cause for concern, the staff on duty should inform the on-call residential manager. If a child absents him/herself from foster care, the foster carer should inform the out-of-hours emergency duty team.

If the child is deemed to be ‘missing’, the residential staff or the duty officer should, without delay, inform:

• The Police: who will treat the matter as involving a “vulnerable missing person”. The name and contact details of the Police officer spoken to should be recorded
• The parents (and those who have Parental Responsibility) as agreed in the child’s Placement Plan/Placement Information Record
• The child’s social worker as soon as practicable

The carer, where possible, should complete the National reporting Form. It is recognized that it will not always be possible for carers, particularly foster carers; to complete the form prior to police attendance. The carer should also give their assessment of whether there is a high, medium or low risk. The Police will confirm the risk status of the child.

If the child is missing from a foster placement in the borough, the Police will be provided with details surrounding the absence including addresses where the child may be.

In all cases, the Police will also be supplied with a recent photograph of the child.  In urgent cases, this will be supplied at the time of reporting the child missing. In medium to low risk cases, this will be supplied as agreed with the Police.

External providers and foster carers living outside the borough should follow Police procedures relevant to their local area.

On receiving a report of a missing child, the Police will circulate information about the child in accordance with their Missing Persons’ Policy and Procedures, taking account of the relevant circumstances, including the assessment of risk to the child and others.  

Throughout the process, the Police will maintain close contact with the staff/carers involved.  Communication of relevant information between the Police, local authority and the relevant staff/carers will be immediate. All parties will record all conversations and any action taken.

Where a child is still missing the following day, the staff/carer and/or child’s social worker will contact the child’s school and any other person who may assist as to the child’s whereabouts, including visiting addresses if appropriate. Any other children in the placement should also be asked if they have any information that may help to find the child.

Any additional relevant information should be communicated to the Police.

Any child missing from home for more than 24 hours should be reported to the Designated Manager (Absent Children) and the relevant Service Manager by the manager of the home or the child’s social worker. The child's social worker must update the electronic database accordingly.

If the child has been missing for 24 hours, the staff/carer should conduct a search of the child’s bedroom. This may be carried out sooner if appropriate having regard to the circumstances. Any new information obtained as a result must be communicated to the Police.

See Searching Children and their Belongings Procedure.

Any child missing from home for more than five days should be reported to the Regulatory Authority.

If a child has been missing for over 7 consecutive days or causes significant concern due to risk factors, the Service Manger should be notified at the earliest opportunity. In addition a meeting should be held to review action taken to locate the child .A strategy to locate the child should be developed and a combined response agreed. It is the responsibility of the accountable Social Worker to arrange the meeting. Those to attend the meeting, the social worker's team manager, Police Representative, Fostering Social worker/Key Worker, Parent /Foster Carer .

If a child has been missing for 28 days the Police Divisional Crime Manager and the appropriate Children’s Service Manager should jointly review the case .

If a child, who has been reported missing, returns to his/her carer in the meantime, the child’s social worker will inform the Police Service.

The Social Worker must inform the child’s Independent Reviewing Officer if the child has runaway or gone missing from an approved placement.

Where a child goes missing and there is concern for their welfare, or at the request of a child who has been missing, staff should arrange a meeting between the child and the Placing Authority in private to consider the reasons for the child going missing. Also that the home considers with the Placing Authority what action should be taken to prevent the child going missing in future. Any concerns arising about the placement are addressed, as far as possible, in conjunction with the Placing Authority.

4. A Child who is Absent without Consent

If Children's Social Care Services assessment results in the view that a Looked After child who is absent without consent, staff or carers should take all reasonable and practicable steps to establish the whereabouts of the child.

If the location of the child is known, and there are thought to be specific issues of safety or public order difficulties, then action to deal with those difficulties should be agreed in consultation with the Police.

5. Informing the Media

The Police have responsibility for any missing person enquiry and will decide whether media involvement will assist or hamper the enquiry.

A decision to use the media will only be made after consultation between the Police and the Local Authority. The parents should also be involved.

Where media publicity is required, any statement made between agencies will  normally be agreed through the local authority’s press officer in accordance with corporate guidelines. 

Where a child is to be publicised through the media, every effort will be made to inform the parents beforehand.

6. Recording  

Absences will be recorded in the following way:

• On the child’s file
• In the Link Worker’s monthly report (residential care)
• In the monthly manager’s report (residential care)
• In the children’s home’s central file

7. Planning for the Child’s Return

If a child’s absence continues beyond a few hours and falls within this procedure, the manager on duty or the emergency duty officer, if possible in consultation with the child’s social worker, the Police and the parents, where appropriate, should commence contingency planning for when the child is located. Such plans should include:

1. Will the child return to the previous placement?
2. How will he/she be conveyed there?
3. How to facilitate the Police return to placement interview
4. Who will be an appropriate “independent person” to talk to the child after his/her return?
5. Is it appropriate to apply for a Recovery Order?

Normally, the local authority will make arrangements for the transportation of a child to his/her residence. The Police will assist in appropriate cases.

8. The Child’s Return

When a child returns to the home, the staff/carer should immediately inform the Police, emergency duty team (where involved), fostering service (in the case of a child in foster care), parents, the child’s social worker and any others informed of the child’s absence. The child's social worker must inform the child’s Independent Reviewing Officer and update the electronic database accordingly.

The child should be welcomed and any concerns should not be expressed to the child in terms of anger.

The child should be offered something to eat and, where appropriate, to be taken for medical advice and treatment (with Parents’ Consent as necessary).

Before he or she returns to the placement, the child should be offered the opportunity to talk to someone independent of the placement about their reasons for going missing.

If the child declines the opportunity, the staff/carer or the child’s social worker should try and engage the child and find out why he or she went missing from the placement so that any immediate pressures can be dealt with. This may involve the child being referred to other services, for example drug or alcohol advisory services. 

In all cases, the child must be offered the opportunity to speak to an independent Advocate.

Where child protection issues are raised, the Luton and Bedfordshire LSCB Procedures - Chapter 2: Recognising and Responding to Concerns about the Welfare of a Child) must be invoked. 

If the child has four episodes of being missing with each episode lasting longer than six hours, his/her social worker will be required as a matter of course to call a Placement Plan Review to address the absence. See Placement Plan Reviews Procedure.

The purpose of the Review will be to address the issue of the child’s absence by:

• Assessing the reasons why the child has been missing
• Re-assessing the risk to the child by his/her absence
• Identifying strategies to manage the child’s absconding behaviour
• Re-assessing the effectiveness of the placement

Consideration should also be given to the need to convene a Looked After Review to consider the child’s Care Plan.

9. Missing During External Activity of a Residential Home

The person in charge of the external activity or holiday should:

1. Notify the local Police in that area and the home area
2. Notify the Manager of the home (where the child is in residential care), the emergency duty social worker, foster carer and/or the child’s social worker (where the child is in foster care)
3. Institute a local search if staffing levels permit

In relation to children in residential care, the manager of the home will be responsible for ensuring the general procedures in relation to missing children are followed. In relation to children in foster care, the responsibility rests with the child’s social worker.

In relation to an activity of a residential home, the manager of the home and the person in charge of the activity will decide within 24 hours of the absence whether the others taking part in the activity should return to the home.

Ongoing communication regarding the missing child will be maintained between the staff/carers and the Police local to where the absence occurred.

End