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62 lines
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<?xml version="1.0"?>
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<cms:item xmlns:cms="http://www.arsdigita.com/cms/1.0" xmlns="http://www.esd.org.uk/standards/esdbody" oid="[com.arsdigita.cms.contenttypes.ESDService:{id=232}]"><cms:name>missing-or-out-of-contact-client-232</cms:name><cms:language>en</cms:language><cms:title>Missing or Out of Contact Client</cms:title><cms:dublinCore oid="[com.arsdigita.london.cms.dublin.DublinCoreItem:{id=232}]"><cms:name>missing-or-out-of-contact-client-232-dublin-metadata</cms:name><cms:dcAudience>General Public</cms:dcAudience><cms:dcCoverage>content="99XX" scheme="ONS SNAC"</cms:dcCoverage><cms:dcCoveragePostcode/><cms:dcCoverageSpatialRef/><cms:dcCoverageUnit/><cms:dcDateValid/><cms:dcDisposalReview/><cms:dcLanguage>en</cms:dcLanguage><cms:dcTemporalBegin/><cms:dcTemporalEnd/><cms:dcCreatorOwner>LAWS Project - Starter Kit - http://www.laws-project.org.uk</cms:dcCreatorOwner><cms:dcCreatorContact>LAWS Project - Starter Kit - http://www.laws-project.org.uk</cms:dcCreatorContact><cms:dcPublisher>Tameside MBC - LAWS project - http://laws.tameside.gov.uk</cms:dcPublisher><cms:dcRights/><cms:dcKeywords>missing, out, of, contact, client</cms:dcKeywords></cms:dublinCore><cms:textAsset oid="[com.arsdigita.cms.TextAsset:{id=232}]"><cms:content><![CDATA[<h2>Social Services</h2><span class="gen">email address here</span><span class="gen">phone number here</span><span class="gen">sms phone number here</span><span class="gen">fax number here</span><span class="gen">minicom number here</span><p><i>In all missing persons cases it is advised that you first contact the police and file a missing persons report, listen to the police advice given and act accordingly.</i></p><hr/><h3>Missing Children</h3><p>Children who go missing from Social Services care invariably place themselves, and often others, at risk. The reasons for their absence are varied and complex and cannot be viewed in isolation from their home circumstances and their experiences of care. Every "missing" episode should, therefore, attract property attention from the professionals involved with the child and those professionals, in turn, must collaborate to ensure a consistent and coherent response is given to the child on his/her return.</p><p>The Police are frequent partners of Social Services in managing "missing" episodes and it is, therefore, important that staff in both agencies work together. The following protocol should assist in this and combines aspects of Social Services and Police procedures in relation to missing persons such that, where they overlap or interface, respective actions and responsibilities are clear.</p><h3>Definition</h3><p>For these purposes, a child (ie. a young person under the age of 18 years) is to be considered "missing" if he/she is absent from his/her place of residence without authority to a degree or in circumstances where the absence causes concern for safety of the child or there is potential danger to the public.</p><p>Absences which cause concern are those where staff or carers have no indication that a child is likely to return within a short space of time or where there is immediate concern for the child's safety.</p><p>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 should not come within the definition of "missing" for this protocol.</p><p>In assessing the significance of a child's absence, all staff will apply the above definition and, in addition, take the following into consideration:</p><ul>
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<li title="*">Guidance already agreed and incorporated within the child's care plan</li>
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<li title="*">The age of the child</li>
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<li title="*">The legal status of the child in care</li>
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<li title="*">Previous behaviour patterns</li>
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<li title="*">State of mind/perceived risk</li>
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<li title="*">Group behaviour</li>
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<li title="*">Whether the child is perceived as running to someone or running from a situation</li>
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</ul><p>In responding to and managing an individual child's absence from care, both Social Services and Police staff should beware of dismissing the potential significance of multiple abscondings by a young offender. Often such young people are immediately labelled as "the problem" and insufficient consideration is given to considering why they are persistently absenting themselves.</p><h3>Responding to an incident</h3><p>
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<strong>Planning Before the Event</strong>
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</p><p>Prior to each planning meeting, including pre-placement meetings, Social Services staff must consider whether it is appropriate to discuss associated risks of the child absenting him/herself.</p><p> Where it is appropriate the discussion should include the following and be recorded in the care plan:</p><ul>
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<li title="*">The degree of risk of the child absconding</li>
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<li title="*">The level of supervision/support offered to the child</li>
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<li title="*">The parents' advice on what action they feel should be taken if the child goes missing</li>
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<li title="*">The level of risk presented if the child absconds</li>
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</ul><p>Where considered appropriate, the child should be given a copy of this protocol and have explained to him/her what actions will be taken if he/she absents him/herself without permission.</p><p>
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<strong>Notification of Absence</strong>
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</p><p>When a child absents him/herself without permission it is necessary to initiate procedures which encourage him/her to return as quickly and safely as possible and ensuring he/she is treated positively on return.</p><p>Whoever discovers that a child has absented him/herself without permission from a residential home should inform the senior manager on duty of this immediately or, if a child absents him/herself from foster care, the Social Services duty officer (or out-of-hours, the Social Services Emergency Duty Team) of the area from which the young person comes.</p><p> The Social Services senior manager on duty or the duty officer will consider whether the absence causes such concern as to fall within this protocol. If it does not the senior manager or the duty officer should take whatever steps are appropriate to secure the
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safe and speedy return of the child to the establishment or to the home.</p><p>If the absence is considered to fall within this protocol the senior manager or the duty officer should, without delay, inform:</p><ul>
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<li title="*">The Police: who will treat the matter as involving a "vulnerable missing person"</li>
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<li title="*">The Parents (and those who have parental responsibility)</li>
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<li title="*">The Social Worker</li>
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</ul><p>Where, initially, the senior manager on duty or the duty officer has decided that the absence does not fall within this protocol, this decision should be reviewed frequently if the child does not return or his/her whereabouts are not identified. If such a period of absence continues for six hours from when the absence was first noted it should be considered to come within this protocol. This should be seen as a maximum period and in most situations much shorter periods will be appropriate.</p><p>Any case of a missing child which causes particular concern or difficulty or where circumstances give rise to suspicion should be brought to the attention of the area manager and divisional commander or their nominee without delay. The area manager and divisional commander will then decide on further action and consider the need to inform the head of operations/assistant chief constable.</p><p>Any unauthorised absence lasting for 24 hours should be reported to the external line manager by the senior manager of the home or the social worker.</p><p>Any unauthorised absence lasting 48 hours should be reported to the area manager by the homes' external line manager or the social worker.</p><p>Any unauthorised absence lasting for five days should be reported to the head of operations by the area manager and to the registration and inspection team for a young person in residential care.</p><p>
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<strong>Information to be made available</strong>
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</p><p>When reporting the matter to Police, the Social Services senior manager on duty or the duty officer should make available:</p><ul>
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<li title="*">A description of the child</li>
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<li title="*">When the child was last seen and with whom</li>
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<li title="*">A recent photograph</li>
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<li title="*">Family addresses</li>
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<li title="*">Known acquaintances</li>
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<li title="*">Any previous history of absconding</li>
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<li title="*">The name and address of the child's GP and Dentist</li>
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<li title="*">Circumstances which increase the risk to a child should be drawn to the attention of the Police</li>
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</ul><p>
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<strong>Informing the Press</strong>
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</p><p>It is for the Police to advise the media regarding a child missing from the care of the Local Authority, this may be arranged at local level, by direction of the divisional commander (or nominee). A decision to publicise by press and/or television will always be made in consultation with Social Services and with prior warning, in order to allow the parents to be informed.</p><p>
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<strong>Recording</strong>
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</p><p>Throughout the process identified within this protocol, a full record must be kept of all actions taken and messages received/given. This recording should be made within the home's log book, with a duplicate entry on the child's file (this latter recording could merely be a photocopy of the log book entries if this is deemed appropriate, or directly on the child's file in the case of an absence from a foster home).</p><p>
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<strong>Planning for return</strong>
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</p><p>If a child's absence continues beyond a few hours and falls within this protocol, the Social Services senior manager on duty or the Social Services duty officer, if possible in consultation with social worker and parents and Police, where appropriate, should commence contingency planning for when the child is located. Such plans should include:</p><ul>
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<li title="*">Will the child return to the previous placement?</li>
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<li title="*">How will he/she be conveyed there?</li>
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<li title="*">Do the Police wish to interview the child before he/she is returned to his/her placement?</li>
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<li title="*">Who will be an appropriate "independent person" to talk to the child after his/her return?</li>
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</ul><p>The Police will co-operate in the plans developed by Social Services to return a child to his/her residence.</p><p> Normally the Social Services Department will make arrangements for the transportation of a child to his/her residence. Where appropriate the Police will assist in this.</p><p>Occasionally, however, especially if the child is over 16 years and is being "looked after", the Police may have limited power to enforce a return if the child resists this and is not apparently at any risk.</p><p>Where a missing child is over 16 years and is being "looked after" by the Social Services, prior discussions should take place between Social Services and Police regarding Police/Social Services powers to enforce a return.</p><p>
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<strong>Communication</strong>
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</p><p>Should a child's absence continue, and after Police, social worker and parents have been informed, the senior manager of the home should make arrangements to inform all children and staff within the home. In this way, distressing rumours may be avoided and additional information regarding the missing child's whereabouts might be obtained. The child's school should also be informed in case they, too, have any information regarding his/her whereabouts. Any such information should be passed to the Police.</p><p>
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<strong>The return</strong>
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</p><p>The child should be told that we would expect him/her to talk to someone independent of the home or the foster home about the absence. He/she should be advised that this would normally be the social worker but, if he/she wishes, it could be another person. The "independent person" should have no formal line management links with the home, nor should be related to any member of staff within the home or its line management. In some circumstances the independent person could be a police constable.</p><p>On the child's return his/her medical condition should be discussed immediately and an offer made to arrange medical attention.</p><p>Parents, Police, social worker and all others informed of the absence should be advised of the child's return without delay.</p><p>In consultation with the home staff the social worker and his/her line manager should decide whether a special strategy meeting is required.</p><p>It is the responsibility of the senior manager of the home to ensure the child receives an interview with an independent person within 72 hours of his/her return from absence. In the case of a young person missing from foster care the social worker should
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visit and see the young person within 72 hours of his/her return.</p><h3>Missing during external activity of a residential home</h3><p>
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<strong>The person in charge of the external activity will:</strong>
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</p><ul>
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<li title="*">Notify the local Police in that area</li>
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<li title="*">Notify a senior manager at the home</li>
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<li title="*">Institute a local search if staffing levels permit</li>
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</ul><p>The senior manager of the home will be responsible for ensuring the general procedures in relation to a missing child are followed.</p><p>The senior manager of the home and the person in charge of the party will decide within 24 hours of the absence whether the party should return to the home.</p><p>Ongoing communication regarding the missing child will be maintained between the home and the Police local to where the absence occurred.</p><h3>Longer absences</h3><p>Whenever a child is missing for 28 days, a strategy meeting should be held, attended by the social services area manager, and divisional commander, or his nominee, together with other appropriate staff from both agencies. At this meeting these senior officers
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should elicit a clear statement of the actions being taken in respect of the absence and should satisfy themselves that all that should be done is being done.</p><p>A missing child should be notified by the Police Force Intelligence Bureau to the Police National Missing Persons Bureau 28 days after going missing.</p><p>The Social Services Department head of operations should formally review all cases where children have been absent for six months or more and should satisfy him/herself on the actions taken to recover the child.</p><p>Whilst the child remains absent, his/her case should be identified as "open" on the Social Services Client Information System and should be reviewed at six monthly intervals by an officer at assistant director level.</p><p>All Police missing persons files will remain "live" until the person is traced or until the divisional commander is satisfied all lines of enquiry have been exhausted. He will then forward the file to the assistant chief constable who will take the decision to file or otherwise.</p><p>Where the assistant chief constable has made the decision to file, the Force Intelligence Bureau will be responsible for bringing forward the file on persons who remain missing for review by the detective superintendent, 12 months after the file date.</p><span class="gen">email address here</span><span class="gen">phone number here</span><span class="gen">sms phone number here</span><span class="gen">fax number here</span><span class="gen">minicom number here</span><span class="gen">postal address here</span><h3>
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<a href="/ccm/services/pid.jsp?pid=232"> Providing Information
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(232)
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</a></h3>]]></cms:content></cms:textAsset></cms:item>
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