Missing Persons

This course is suitable for any individual who is working in a setting with children or adults, where there is a possibility that they will go missing.

Did you know?

• Someone is reported missing every 90 seconds in the UK.
• 170,000 people are reported missing every year.
• There are 353,000 reported missing incidents every year.

How many people go missing each year?

• Missing people: of the 170,000 people reported missing nearly 98,000 are adults and more than 70,000 are children.
• Missing incidents: of the 353,000 reported incidents, more than 137,000 incidents are adults and almost 215,000 incidents are children.
• Looked-after children are at high risk of being reported missing. 1 in 10 looked-after children are reported missing compared to 1 in 200 children. Looked-after children who are reported missing will be reported on average 6 times.

Most of the people who are reported missing may be experiencing some kind of vulnerability or risk. This can be exacerbated by being missing, particularly where someone goes missing more than once.

Research shows that police data is likely to be a significant underestimate. There are limitations to the National Crime Agency data, including differing recording practices and incomplete data, and some people will not be reported missing to the police at all. Research suggests that as many as 7 in 10 children are not reported to the police when they go missing.

Why do children go missing?

• More than half reported that is was due to conflict, abuse and neglect at home.
• 7 in 10 young people that have been sexually exploited have also been reported missing.
• 1 in 7 of the children who completed return home interviews had been sexually exploited.
• 1 in 4 trafficked children who are looked after in local authority care have gone missing.
  nearly 1 in 10 children who have completed return home interviews with had been the victim of criminal exploitation.
• 1 in 5 children who completed return home interviews disclosed information about mental health issues. 1 in 10 were at risk of self-harm and 4% were at risk of suicide.

This course has been created and delivered by Milly Wildish, a child protection specialist who has worked in criminal and education settings. Milly is a national safeguarding panel member and is currently engaged in a large-scale independent investigation, into current and historical allegations of child abuse.