Management Information Sheet

Revised Children Missing from Home or Care procedures have been in force since the 26th April 2011. These procedures have been written in accordance with the statutory guidance on children who run away and go missing from home or care that came into force in July 2009.

Poster Campaign

In an effort to publicise and promote awareness of this issue, Norfolk Safeguarding Children Board would like to invite schools to consider taking part in an activity to design a series of posters and postcards. All entries into the competition will need to be received no later than 21^st October 2011.

Further information about the design specification is attached. If you would like to participate in this activity or have any questions about the procedures outlined below, please contact Kelly Waters, Safeguarding Adviser at kelly.waters@norfolk.gov.uk by Friday 30^th September 2011.

A child is missing if any of the following are present:

Any child under the age of 18 years reported missing from home or care and whose whereabouts is unknown.

Any child reported missing from a private fostering arrangement and whose whereabouts is unknown.

Any child who has runaway or is staying away from the person who is responsible for the child.

Any child who has left has left home owing to rejection by the person who is responsible for the child.

Any child who has been unlawfully taken away or is being unlawfully kept away from the person who is responsible for them.

Is missing.

This does not apply to:-

Children whose whereabouts is known or suspected but they are not where they are expected to be. For example have missed a curfew time.

Children who have absconded from secure accommodation.

Unauthorised absence and/or truancy during the school day.

Implications for Schools:
In most circumstances the parents or carers of the child will be the first to notify the relevant agencies that a child has gone missing. In the event that staff in school are the first to discover that a child has gone missing, the matter should be reported to the Senior Designated Professional (SDP) without delay. As a matter of urgency, the SDP should liaise with the child's parent or carer and notify the Norfolk police in the first instance. The SDP should then follow this up by notifying Children's Services by telephone on 0344 800 8014.

Links:-

Curriculum Resources:
The Children's Society has developed a free resource for teachers to fit the Key Stage 2 Citizenship and PSHE curriculum and support the Every Child Matters agenda and Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning. Unit 8: Young Runaways is designed help children to understand what it means to run away, why young people might do it, and how to manage the risks involved.
The package can be accessed via:
www.mylife4schools.org.uk/MyLife/teachers/unit_8.aspx

Missing from home procedure:
intranet.esinet.norfolk.gov.uk/rande/procedures/R&E/CMS_Uploads/1025.doc

Missing from care procedure:
intranet.esinet.norfolk.gov.uk/rande/procedures/R&E/CMS_Uploads/738.doc