4.3 Absent/Missing Children

REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS

This chapter should be read in conjunction with Joint Protocol for Children and Young People who run away or go missing from Home or Care.

Definitions
Culture
Planning and Prevention
Immediate Actions if a Child is Absent or Missing
Risk Assessments, Monitoring and Notifications
Prolonged Periods of Absence or being Missing
Returning Children
Upon Return of the Child
Recording of Absences
Notifications
Review

Appendix 1: Assessing Levels of Concern Guidance

1. Definitions

The terms 'Absconded' or 'Missing' no longer apply as a generic terms.
The generic term that now applies is 'Absent Child'.
There are three categories of 'Absent Child':

A Missing Child is child who is absent from his/her placement and whose whereabouts are unknown. This includes a child who may have been abducted.

A Child Absent without Consent is child absent from his/her placement without the agreement of the staff but whose whereabouts are known or suspected. This includes a child who is suspected of being harboured.

An Absconded Child is a child who is Remanded or otherwise Lawfully Detained in Local Authority Accommodation and is Absent without Authority or Missing from the placement.

2. Culture

Children are less likely to abscond, become missing or absent themselves without consent where they feel secure and safe, able to express their feelings and wishes, make appropriate choices and develop positive relationships with the staff and their peers, which are free from bullying.

Children should feel that their plans are being progressed, that they have a positive future and that staff are working enthusiastically to support, advise and listen to them.

They should also have a clear understanding of expectations upon them, the routines of the home and house rules; to this end, they should know whether it’s acceptable, or not, to leave the home without permission or consent and they should be counselled and informed of the risks that are posed to them if they become missing, abscond or absent themselves, of the agencies that may be able to help them, such as the Children’s Rights Director or Childline - and of the consequences.

If homes are experiencing high levels of absence, absconsions or incidences of children being missing, managers should ‘take stock’ - they should undertake a formal review of the culture and strategies being used in the home and take steps to reduce the incidents.

3. Planning and Prevention

All children must have a Placement Plan which takes account of any likely risk of the child becoming Absconding, becoming Missing or Absent without Consent. If there are known/likely risks, the Placement Plan should incorporate measures to reduce or prevent the child becoming absent, and the information that would help facilitate the location of the child should they go missing.

At the request of the child or where there are concerns about a child who frequently becomes absent or missing, the home’s manager should consider raising concerns with the Child’s Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) or arranging a meeting between the child and the placing authority to consider the reasons for the child going missing and agree strategies to reduce the risk.

It is advisable that a Police 'Misper' form should be completed for all children, at the point of admission. The Child's Placement Plan should be reviewed regularly and after any absence.

As part of the assessment and planning process for each Looked After Child consideration must be given to the risk of the child becoming 'Absent'.

If there is a risk that the child may become 'Absent', further consideration must be given to the risk posed to the child or others as a result.

If the risk posed to the child is either Medium or High, an Individual Crisis Management Plan must be drawn up to reduce it.

4. Immediate Actions if a Child is Absent or Missing

In the absence of any agreed Strategy the following must apply if it is apparent or suspected that a child is absent, absconded or missing.

In such circumstances, staff should take what actions are immediately necessary to recover the child, in the context of risks posed to the child or others.

If it is determined that the absent, absconded or missing child falls into the Low or Medium Category, the measures that may be taken by staff are limited to seeking the co-operation of the child or others who know the child.

If the child does not co-operate and the child or others fall into the High Risk, staff should consider calling the Police for assistance.

5. Risk Assessments, Monitoring and Notifications

Having established the Child is absent, missing or absconded, an assessment should be carried out to determine the level of risk that is posed to the child i.e. if the risk is 'Low', 'Medium' or 'High' Risk.

This assessment and any re-assessment must be recorded.

The first assessment must be conducted once it is established the Child is absent or missing, then every two hours or as circumstances change.

5.1 Assessing Risks/Who to Notify

Low Level Concern

For Guidance on Assessing Risks see Appendix 1: Assessing Levels of Concern Guidance, if the Child is assessed as Low Risk:

Notifications: There is no requirement to notify the Police, social worker or parents.

Review of Risks: Every 2 hours or as circumstances changes; if the Child is Absent/Missing for 6 hours s/he automatically becomes Medium Risk.

Medium Level Concern

If the Child has been Absent or Missing for 6 Hours s/he must be categorised as Medium Risk. There may be other risk factors that categorise the Child as Medium Risk (see Appendix 1: Assessing Levels of Concern Guidance) the following applies:

Notifications: The Police, social worker and parents may be consulted or verbally notified, for information, but there is no requirement to notify them formally.

Review of Risks: Every two hours by staff or as circumstances change. If a Missing child remains in the Medium Category for a total of 6 hours s/he automatically falls into High Level Category.

High Level Concern

For Guidance on assessing Risks see Appendix 1: Assessing Levels of Concern Guidance.

Notifications: If there is a High Level of Concern:

The Police in the area where the child became absent must be formally notified;
The social worker must be notified as soon as practicable. The social worker should decide whether to notify the parent(s) and, if so, who should do so;
If the Child has Absconded, the Youth Offending Team (YOT) must be notified.

5.2 Information Sharing and Recording

When notifying/informing the Police (in the area where they have become absent e.g. if on an activity away from the Home), Social Worker or others e.g. Youth Offending Worker/Team, it is vital to provide information about the circumstances and risk factors that led to the notification; but it is also important to discuss possible strategies for finding and recovering the Child safely. Agreement should also be reached about others who may need to know the Child is Absent or Missing e.g. the Child’s Parents.

It is advisable that a Police 'Misper' form should be completed for all children, at the point of admission. The Child's Placement Plan should be reviewed regularly and after any absence, but they will require the following information:.

A description of the child, possibly a photograph
When the child was last seen and with whom
A recent photograph of the child
Family addresses
Other addresses of people the child may make contact with
Any previous history of the child going missing
The name and address of the child's GP and Dentist

The Police, social worker and others notified must then be updated as circumstances change and when the child returns.

Staff must record the incident on the following and update these records as circumstances change or decisions/actions taken:

Daily Log;
Child's Daily Record/File;
Absence Log

6. Prolonged Periods of Absence or being Missing

After 24 hours or on the first working day after the Child has been reported missing/absent, the Line Manager for the home must be notified.

Also, the Home should consult/update the Police and Social Worker/YOT Worker every day for the first 7 days, or as new information is available, to review the Strategies that can be adopted to find/return the child.

After 72 hours, the Police will notify the National Missing Persons Bureau (see NPIA website).

If the child is still absent after 7 days, the Area Manager of the home and the Child’s Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) must be notified and must decide what Strategies to adopt; the Area Manager should consult the Director of Care before making a decision.

The strategies which may be adopted to recover a child include the following:

The convening of a Strategy Discussion
Use by the Police of their powers to recover the child, for example, placing a child in Police Protection
An application for a Recovery Order
An application for a Secure Accommodation Order
The use of publicity

If the child remains absent for 14 days the Police will notify the National Missing Persons Bureau.

7. Returning Children

If a child's whereabouts become known, staff should decide what actions are necessary to return the child to the home, preferably in consultation with the social worker.

Any actions taken should preferably be with the co-operation or by negotiation with the child.

If the child does not co-operate and there are risks posed to the child or others, including staff, it will be necessary to consider the following:

The use, by staff, of coercion or force. If staff consider using any form of coercion or force to return an uncooperative child, they must always exercise caution, and should not act without consulting the Home Manager or supervisor unless it is absolutely necessary to do so to protect a child or others from Significant Injury or to prevent Serious Damage to Property
If in doubt, the Police should also be consulted before staff act; although the measures open to the Police are limited unless there are risks of Significant Harm or a criminal offence being committed

8. Upon Return of the Child

The Police, Social Worker and others notified of the absence must be informed when the child returns.

The child must be welcomed back and must have the opportunity to talk about the reasons for leaving.

If the child's absence was reported to the Police, the child should be seen within 72 hours by the social worker.

lf the social worker is unable to see the child, an independent professional or the Home Manager/supervisor of the home may meet the child on the social worker's behalf.

The purpose of this meeting is to give the child an opportunity to talk about the reasons for their absence and follow up any concerns or Complaints.

The outcome of the meeting with the child should to discussed with the social worker and Manager of the home with a view deciding what Strategies can be adopted to prevent further absences.

If the child was absent for three days or more or the absence was one of three episodes reported to the Police in the previous four weeks, the Police should be asked to contribute to these discussions.

Any new strategies should be incorporated into the child's Individual Crisis Management Plan.

The Police may wish to carry out a ‘Safe and Well’ check, to check for any indications that the Child has suffered harm; where and with whom they have been; and to give them an opportunity to disclose any offending by, or against, them. However, where the Child goes missing frequently, the Police are likely to see them every time they return. However, a reasonable decision will be taken with regard to the frequency of such checks.

9. Recording of Absences

Each absence must be recorded in the Daily Log kept by the home and noted in the child’s Daily Record with detail recorded on an Unauthorised Absence Record. An Incident Report should also be completed.

10. Notifications

When the Child returns, all those notified of the absence must be informed.

If the Child was involved in prostitution or sexual exploitation, the Regulatory Authority must be notified.

If there is a pattern of persistent incidents or the circumstances gave rise for serious concern, the Home’s Manager must notify the Child’s Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO).

11. Review

If there is a pattern of persistent incidents or the circumstances gave rise for serious concern, the Home’s Manager must consult the Child’s Social Worker/YOT Worker and Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) with a view to reviewing the Care Plan.

If it is decided not to review the Care Plan, the Home’s Manager should still review the Placement Plan.

Appendix 1: Assessing Levels of Concern Guidance

Section 1 - Indicators/Categories of Risk

There is additional guidance in Section 2 - Other Factors that should be Considered.

High RIsk
A Child is automatically High Risk in the following circumstances

Other Risk Factors
These are risks/indicators that should be considered when assessing other Children, who do not automatically fall into the High Risk Category

If the Child is Remanded or otherwise Lawfully Detained, s/he is Absconded;
If the child has been Absent/Missing for 12 hours;
The child's death may occur;
The child may be at risk of serious injury or harm, e.g. from adverse weather conditions or the child's inability to stay safe;
The child requires essential medication/medical attention;
The child is likely to suffer Significant Harm;
The child may come into contact with a person who may pose them a risk. The child may be injured, including self injury, and require medical attention;
There is a warrant for the child's arrest;
The child may commit a violent or criminal offence;
The child may be abducted;
If the child's name is on the list for a child subject to a Child Protection Plan;
The child is subject to Police Protection;
The child is subject to an Emergency Protection Order or Recovery Order.

Time Factors:

Risks must be (re) assessed every two hours or if circumstances changes;

If a Child categorised as Low Risk has been Absent or Missing for 6 Hours s/he is automatically categorised as Medium Risk;

If a Child categorised as Medium Risk has been Absent or Missing for 6 Hours s/he is automatically categorised as High Risk.

Other Risk Factors that must be considered when assessing the risks to the Child or others:

Any guidance agreed within the child's Care Plan or Placement Plan;
Vulnerability due to age;
Particularly vulnerable (e.g. Learning/Physical disability, on Child subject to a Child Protection Plan);
In need of regular medication (e.g. diabetic);
Previous history of being missing;
History of self harming;
Possible involvement in crime;
Health, including mental health;
Weather (e.g. severe cold or heat), or geography (e.g. remote area);
Dependency on drugs and/or alcohol;
Known vulnerability of the Child, raising concern that they may have been led into danger, including sexual exploitation;
Known associates that give rise to heightened concerns over the missing Child’s safety (e.g. associates known to be involved in criminal activities);
Degree of risk to the public;
Recent significant events, contributory factors and the child's state of mind at the time of the absence;
Time of day/night;
Legal status.

Section 2 - Other Factors that should be Considered

The following should be considered alongside Section 1 - Indicators/Categories of Risk.

Age and level of understanding	Age and level of understanding Age is a factor, but not alone. Also consider level of understanding, ability to make informed decisions, the child's ability to operate in urban or rural environments, social and life skills, disability etc. The more able the child is, the less concern staff should have.
Number of Absences	Consider the number of times the child has absented him/herself and from what situations. For example, children who have absented themselves from similar accommodations and returned safely may be of less concern than those who are not known to staff or who do not normally absent themselves.
Behaviour whilst absent	Consider what the child does or is suspected to get involved in whilst absent on previous occasions. Also consider how recent such problems have been. Higher levels of concern should be attributed to those who are known, recently, to have placed themselves or others at risk of significant harm. The factors that may result in higher levels of concern are that the child has previously: Made contact with people who pose a risk to the Child Been abducted Self injured or attempted suicide Committed or been associated with a serious or criminal offence Been subject to sexual exploitation Or other serious risks/concerns
Circumstances on the day	The following are examples of circumstances, which may be considered in deciding the level of concern on the day. The fact that they apply to a child does not automatically mean there is a high level of concern; the decision rests with the manager having considered all the circumstances. Out of character/unusual behaviour prior to disappearance Absence with no prior indication Possibility of sexual exploitation or being drawn into offending behaviour

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