missing children protocol - proceduresonline.com · 2018-08-14 · the local safeguarding children...

Classification: OFFICIAL

Children’s Social Care Policy and Procedures

RBC Missing Protocol of 24 Reviewed May 2018


Missing Children Protocol

May 2018





Contents

Contents.......................................................................................................................... 2 1. FOREWORD ........................................................................................................... 3 2. ARRANGEMENTS FOR MONITORING MISSING CHILDREN SERVICE DELIVERY ............... 3 3. DEFINITIONS ......................................................................................................... 4 4. SHARING DATA RELATING TO MISSING CHILDREN BETWEEN CHILDRENS SOCIAL CARE AND THAMES VALLEY POLICE ................................................................................. 5 5. HOW IS CSPOA NOTIFIED ABOUT CHILDREN WHO ARE MISSING? .......................... 5 6. PLANNING BEFORE ANY INCIDENT ............................................................................... 7 7. JOINT PROTOCOL BETWEEN THAMES VALLEY POLICE AND CHILDREN’S SOCIAL CARE- POLICE RESPONSE TO MISSING CHILDREN ....................................................................... 8 8. THE PROCEDURE FOR CHILDREN REPORTED MISSING WHO ARE NOT KNOWN OR ARE CLOSED TO CHILDREN’S SOCIAL CARE ........................................................................... 11 9. THE PROCEDURE FOR THE CHILDREN REPORTED MISING WHO ARE OPEN TO CHILDREN’S SOCIAL CARE ............................................................................................. 14 10. PROCEDURE FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE LOOKED AFTER BY THE LOCAL AUTHORITY (PLACED WITHIN THE RESPONSIBLE AUTHORITY OR IN A HOST AUTHORITY) ............... 15 11. RETURN INTERVIEWS .............................................................................................. 16 12. STRATEGY MEETINGS .............................................................................................. 18 13. NEED TO KNOW PROCESS ........................................................................................ 18 14. MISSING EVALUATION AND REVIEW GROUP (MERG) ................................................ 19 15. SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND MISSING RISK ASSESSMENT CONFERENCE (SEMRAC) ... 19 16. CHILD DRUG EXPLOITATION (CDE) REVIEW GROUP ................................................. 19 17. INFORMING THE MEDIA ........................................................................................... 19 18. APPENDICES ............................................................................................................ 20





1. FOREWORD

This guide describes Reading’s approach to children who run away and go missing from home or care. It has been developed to take account of the revised statutory guidance on children who run away and go missing from home or care (published in January 2014) and also takes in to account Statutory Guidance in regards to Children Missing Education (revised in September 2016).

Children who go missing or run away from home or care may be in serious danger and are vulnerable to crime, sexual exploitation or abduction as well as missing education. They are amongst our most vulnerable children, therefore all Reading services and partner agencies working with children and young people are expected to ensure that all professionals are aware of this guide and implement it when working with children who go missing. All parties should be clear about the definition of a missing person, and discourage the casual reporting of ‘unauthorised absences’ as missing persons. Reading’s Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) Strategy runs parallel to Reading’s approach to children who go missing as there is a recognised link between children who go missing and vulnerability of CSE. Agencies have a joint responsibility to prevent children from becoming victims of CSE and all types of other exploitation to protect them and safeguard them from further risk of harm.

2. ARRANGEMENTS FOR MONITORING MISSING CHILDREN SERVICE DELIVERY

The Director of Children’s, Education and Early Help Services in conjunction with the Head of Service for Children’s safeguarding and Thames Valley Police are responsible for the policy and the procedures relating to the arrangements for monitoring and all linked activity in relation to missing children. The Local Safeguarding Children Board sub group for Exploitation and Missing Children meets quarterly for the purposes of developing the service, responses, reviewing and analysing data on missing children, identifying trends and actions required. LCSB recognises that the full implementation of this protocol, with consistent responses that result in effective action for those who repeatedly go missing or runaway are critical to keep children safe. The LSCB website can be accessed via this link. http://www.readinglscb.org.uk/

http://www.readinglscb.org.uk/





3. DEFINITIONS

Thames Valley Police use the following definitions regarding Missing. Definition of ‘Missing’– ‘Anyone whose whereabouts cannot be established will be considered as missing until located, and their well-being or otherwise confirmed.’ Within the categorisation of Missing, the police will also assess the level of risk and the appropriate response around the missing episode based on the following guidance. No apparent Risk (Absent): There is no apparent risk of harm to either the missing child or the public. Response – Ownership remains with the Control room. Agree actions with the informant to locate and/or gather further agreed and a latest review time set to reassess the risk. Low Risk: The risk of harm to the subject or the public is assessed as possible but minimal. Response – Proportionate enquiries are to be carried out to ensure that the individual has not come to harm. Investigation Hub are responsible for the Management of the investigation, Response Hub can be tasked to complete enquiries if appropriate. Medium Risk: The risk of harm to the subject or the public is assessed as likely but not serious. Response – This category almost always requires the immediate deployment of police resources. Action may be delayed in the exceptional circumstances such as searching water or forest areas during hours of darkness. A Chief Inspector or Superintendent will command the investigation. Investigation Hub have responsibility managing and completing enquiries with support from the Response Hub. High Risk: The risk of Serious harm to the subject or the public is assessed as very likely. Response – This category requires an active and measured response by the police and other agencies in order to trace the Missing child and support the person reporting. Investigation Hub are responsible for the management of investigations, Response Hub can be tasked to complete enquiries if appropriate. Thames Valley Police will not categorise the following as absent. They will always be subject of a missing person investigation:- • All children 14 and under • All registered sex offenders • All children 15 and over who have a CSE warning marker, CSE intelligence or are





named in a child abduction warning notice.

4. SHARING DATA RELATING TO MISSING CHILDREN BETWEEN CHILDRENS SOCIAL CARE

AND THAMES VALLEY POLICE

The Children’s Single Point of Access (CSPoA) is responsible for receiving and processing all notifications in relation to children reported missing in or from Reading in the Thames Valley policing area. They are also the first point of contact for any Reading looked after child that is reported missing from a distant placement. It is the carer/ registered care provider or the local police force for that area, to ensure that Reading is notified when a child has been missing. It is also the responsibility of the host local authority for a Reading child placed in another local authority area to ensure they alert Reading Children’s Single Point of Access if a child is reported missing to their Children’s Safeguarding team. Channels of communication between the local authority, a host local authority (if applicable for looked after children), the relevant policing area and other partners (including the Emergency Duty Service) are crucial to facilitate the partnership approach and ensure all Reading children including looked after children placed in or outside of Reading, are reported missing at the earliest time possible. Reading CSPoA consists of Social Care and Early Help professionals, Health, Thames Valley Police and other partner agencies actively sharing information to assist with finding and preventing children and young people who go missing. Other partners which form the CSPoA partnership include: Children Missing Out of Education (CMoE) Lead; Virtual Head for Looked After Children; Missing Childrens Coordinator Child Exploitation Coordinator Youth Offending Service Probation Service Berkshire Women’s Aid Adults Safeguarding

5. HOW IS CSPOA NOTIFIED ABOUT CHILDREN WHO ARE MISSING?

A protocol for sharing information exists between Children’s Single Point of Access and Thames Valley Police. Thames Valley Police records all instances of children and young people that have been reported missing to them in the local policing area within the last 24 hours or over a weekend or bank holiday.





The Thames Valley Police Missing Coordinator in the CSPoA is responsible for sharing details of missing children, related risk assessment and welfare interview conducted at the point the child is located. These details are shared via a daily report sent by email to the CSPoA Missing Notification secure mailbox [email protected]. This mailbox is checked continuously by Business Support in CSPoA throughout the working day to progress any activity and alert professionals accordingly in respect of a child who is still missing or who has been located. The reports may be followed up via a phone call from TVP to a named link in CSPoA on a daily basis in order to agree and coordinate actions particularly if the child/young person is still missing. All activity relating to missing children is shared throughout the day in the CSPoA. The Thames Valley Police (TVP) will liaise directly Social Care professionals in the front door and in Children’s Safeguarding Teams to update in respect of police activity to locate the child if the child is still missing. The team leading the enquiry in respect of a child reported missing within Social Care will depend on if the case is already open and has an allocated team/worker or if the case is closed or previously unknown to Reading Social care. The TVP daily missing report will share:

Details of any child/young person reported missing who lives in the borough of

Reading either currently or previously known or unknown to Reading Children’s Social Care;

Details of any child/young person looked after by Reading but placed outside of the boundary of Reading within the Thames Valley Policing area (for example, a young person placed in Slough or Windsor and Maidenhead)

The TVP daily missing report will not provide: Details of any child/young person missing, who is looked after by Reading BC and

who is placed outside of the Thames Valley Policing area (for example, a Reading looked after child placed in a distant placement in Kent) unless where TVP are informed directly by the neighbouring LA/police force.

Details of any child found in the borough of Reading, but who are in the care of another local authority (for example a child who is looked after and placed in Reading by another LA and Reading BC are the host LA).

In cases where a child who is missing is a looked after child, Reading has a separate protocol that should be followed by foster carers and other placement providers (Appendix 1) to ensure that Reading is notified immediately when a child placed with them runs away or is reported missing. It is also generally expected that the local area police force where that child is placed, is notified if a child goes missing. The local area police force should take steps to share this information with Thames Valley Police

mailto:[email protected]





force and/or Reading Borough Council’s Children’s Single Point of Access when the child is a Reading looked after child. A foster carer or placement provider responsible for looking after a Reading child should also: notify the child’s allocated Social Worker or the CSPoA immediately if the child is

reported missing and; if the child is reported missing out of normal office hours (09:00am to 17:00pm)

contact the Emergency Duty Team, service provided by Bracknell Forest. In accordance with the Arrangements for Placement of Children (General) Regulations 2010 when a looked after child is placed in another local authority area, the allocated social worker from Reading is required to send a notification to the host LA to notify them that a Reading child is placed in their area including details of how and who to report if the child goes missing. This means that if a child who is missing is reported to the host LA, the host LA will be able to identify that the child is a Reading child and take immediate steps to share reports of the child being missing so that Reading can take actions promptly to locate and investigate reasons for the child running away from care. In all instances of a child who is either missing in the borough of Reading or missing in the area where they have been placed, should be reported to the Children’s Single Point of Access so that the incident can be properly logged and managed in accordance with open and closed or unknown case procedures as shown by the ‘Missing Notification and Return Interviews Part 1 & 2 Flow charts’ see appendices.

6. PLANNING BEFORE ANY INCIDENT

Reading Borough Council adopts a consistent approach to the planning and assessment of ‘looked after children’. Staff and foster carers should discuss associated risks of the child absenting himself/herself. This also applies to many vulnerable children with a statement of special educational needs placed in a residential special school. The following should be considered and recorded in the Care Plan and Placement Plan:

• The likelihood of the child going missing • The level of supervision/support offered to the child • The parents’ responsibilities and their views on what action they feel should be taken

if the child goes Missing or Absent • The level of risk and vulnerability presented if the child goes missing • The legal implications of the child breaking any court order by going missing • Consideration of any external influences, which may result in a child’s removal without

consent • The possibility of a child being sheltered





• The child’s view. The child should have this protocol explained to them so that they understand what actions will be taken if they absent themselves without permission.

7. JOINT PROTOCOL BETWEEN THAMES VALLEY POLICE AND CHILDREN’S SOCIAL

CARE- POLICE RESPONSE TO MISSING CHILDREN

A separate protocol between Reading and the Thames Valley Police exists and relates to children and young persons aged under 18 years who are reported as ‘missing’. The general principles of this agreement are set out below.

Initial reporting 1. All reports of a missing child will be recorded by Police Contact Centre1 (PCC) staff. There is an expectation that reasonable enquiries will have been made to locate the child before the Police are contacted. 2. If initially reported to Children’s Social Care (CSC), details will be promptly passed by CSC to the PCC by phoning 999 or 101 as appropriate. 3. The PCC call-taker will undertake an initial risk assessment consisting of 10 questions. On the basis of the information provided by the caller, the PCC call-taker will provisionally decide whether the missing child should be graded as ‘Missing - No Apparent Risk’ or ‘Missing with risk’. This decision is then reviewed and confirmed by a control room supervisor. 4. The police response will be proportionate to the risk level. In the case of a missing person graded ‘No apparent risk’, office-based enquiries only will be undertaken. In all other cases, officers will be deployed. Missing- No Apparent Risk

5. If graded as ‘Missing - No Apparent Risk’, the person will be flagged on the Police National Computer (PNC) and an appropriate call-back time will be agreed with the caller. When the call-back time is reached, the original caller will be contacted by PCC staff for any updates and the initial risk assessment will be reviewed. If at that time, or earlier if further information comes to light, a risk is identified, the child will be re-classified as ‘Missing with risk’, and officers will be deployed to commence a full missing person investigation. 6. If not located after 48 hours, the case will be reviewed and either re-classified as ‘Missing with risk’ or remain as ‘Missing – No Apparent Risk’ but managed by the local Missing Person Coordinator.





7. When a child graded ‘Missing - No Apparent Risk’ is located, it is the responsibility of a parent/carer to arrange for the child to be collected and to establish the reason(s) for the child going ‘missing’. The police will not conduct a prevention interview, unless a crime or a safeguarding issue is suspected. The Police Enquiry Centre (PEC) has been renamed the Police Contact Centre.

Pending an IT upgrade, reports generated from Niche will continue to use the ‘Absent’ classification instead of ‘Missing – No Apparent Risk’.

TVP staff have full discretion to grade a missing person, including a child, as ‘Missing – No Apparent Risk’.

Missing with risk

8. Where the initial risk assessment identifies risk, the child will be recorded as ‘missing’ and an officer will visit the reporting person and/or parent/carer to commence a Missing Person investigation. This will include the following actions:

• Obtain full details of the child and the circumstances of their disappearance. • Conduct a search the premises and surrounding grounds, looking for the child but also for evidence of ‘push/pull’ factors behind the child going missing. • Complete a full risk assessment by reviewing the initial risk assessment and asking a further 8 risk-assessment questions. The officer will then provisionally grade the child’s risk level as Low, Medium or High. • Obtain consent to release the photograph to the press and to share details with partner agencies to assist the investigation.

9. A police sergeant will review and confirm the risk level and will supervise the initial police response, with oversight from an inspector. All High-risk cases will be managed by a senior officer of at least the rank of Chief Inspector. 10. The child will be flagged on the Police National Computer (PNC) as ‘missing’. 11. Secondary investigation will be undertaken to identify any incidents or issues which may inform the risk assessment or assist enquiries to locate the child. 12. In addition to the daily info-share reports, the police will consider contacting CSC or, if outside office hours, the Emergency Duty Team for any relevant information held.

13. The risk assessment and the risk level will be kept continually under review by the police.

14. The police will liaise with family and partner agencies and keep them regularly updated regarding the investigation.





15. Where CSC become aware of information relating to the missing child’s whereabouts or relevant to the risk assessment, this information will be passed promptly to the PCC. 16. If the child is in care, it may be more appropriate for CSC to undertake enquiries with the family and other agencies and report their findings back to the police. This approach should be considered on a case-by-case basis. 17. For fast-time enquiries, the PCC will be the main point of contact for CSC, unless alternative arrangements have been agreed. During office hours, the local police Missing Person Co-ordinator (MPC) may also be available. 18. On a daily basis, the Missing Person Co-ordinator will send an info-share report to CSC listing all under-18s reported missing or returned in the previous 24 hours. The return information will include a summary of the prevention interview by the police and any other relevant information. Info-share reports covering the week-end will be sent on Monday morning. 19. TVP will notify all missing persons to the Missing Persons Bureau (National Crime Agency) after 72 hours or, if assessed as High-risk, as soon as practicable. 20. The Missing Person Coordinator will send further info-share reports and provide performance data as agreed locally.

Reviews

21. All cases of ‘Missing with risk’ will be regularly reviewed by an inspector. Initially, a review will take place during each shift. When the fast-time enquires have been exhausted, reviews will take place at appropriate intervals. 22. If a child has been missing for more than 24 hours, the case will be reviewed at the police Daily Management Meeting.

23. Where appropriate, and including all persons who have been ‘Missing with risk’ for more than 48 hours, the case will be reviewed by a Detective Inspector. 24. A Chief Inspector or Superintendent will complete a review after 28 days, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months and then annually thereafter.

Safeguarding 25. Where significant safeguarding concerns are identified, the police will submit a child protection referral to the MASH. If urgent, a police Sergeant will also contact CSC direct or, if outside office hours, the Emergency Duty Team. 26. Any child who is in care or who is considered particularly vulnerable will be reviewed by CSC within 24 hours.





27. When a child has been missing over 5 days CSC will convene a strategy meeting. However, CSC will call a strategy meeting sooner if they consider the child is likely to suffer significant harm. Subsequent strategy meetings should be held as frequently as required to progress the investigation, but at least weekly for the first 4 weeks and then at a frequency agreed between the senior responsible police officer and the Director of Children’s Social Care or his/her delegated representative. Out-of-area placements 28. Where a child goes missing after being placed in care in a different Force area, this should be reported to the local police force. If appropriate, TVP may subsequently take ownership of the missing person investigation. Prevention Interviews 29. Following the child’s return, the police will seek to undertake a Prevention Interview as soon as practicable, ideally within 24 hours. The Missing Person Co-ordinator will seek to share feedback from the Prevention Interview with CSC within 24 hours weekdays or every Monday in respect of Prevention Interviews undertaken during the week-end. 30. Where a child discloses in a Prevention Interview a child protection issue, the officer will submit a child protection referral to the local Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH), who will liaise with CSC in order to determine if a strategy meeting should be convened.

8. THE PROCEDURE FOR CHILDREN REPORTED MISSING WHO ARE NOT KNOWN OR ARE

CLOSED TO CHILDREN’S SOCIAL CARE

For children and young people who have been reported missing who are not previously known or have a closed record to Children’s Social Care will be reviewed by the CSPoA.

For each child, Business Support in the CSPoA will create the following on the child’s record on Mosaic as soon as notification is receive of a child being missing:

Log details of the misper incident on the ‘Missing Chronology and

Evaluation’ work step (this will keep a rolling log of dates and times when the child has been missing and will be used also to record minutes from the Weekly ‘Missing Monitoring Action Group’ Meeting);

Create a ‘Missing Notification and Return Interview’ work step and send task to

the ‘Virtual Missing Coordinator’ to review and allocate the case to a youth





worker or other provider (Kickz/NYAS) to undertake an independent return interview within 72 hours.

Create an ‘Initial Contact’ on the child’s record and assign it to the ‘Incoming

MASH Screening Manager’. At this point the Incoming Screening Manager will review the Initial contact and will decide whether to:

a. Assign the case to Early Help Enquiry Pathway (Level 1& 2 Threshold) b. Assign the case to MASH Enquiry Pathway and determine need and initiate ‘MASH

CSE Risk Indicator Tool’ and create a CSE Notification (alert) on the child’s record (if concerns to CSE are identified) (Level 3);

c. Refer the case to Children’s Social Care immediately- Access and Assessment Team (Level 4 (S.47 Threshold criteria met)) (Incoming screening Manager considers the needs meet their threshold criteria for referral to Children’s Social Care to initiate a Strategy Discussion and/or Section 47 Enquiry);

d. Assess as ‘No Further Action’ & if appropriate signpost the case to other Universal

Services for support or advice. In determining which course of action, particular attention will be paid to the child’s age and vulnerability and whether the following factors exist;

a. Has been missing for over 24 hours b. Has been missing on 3 in 90 days or perpetually reported missing c. Has engaged in criminal activities during their absence d. Has been hurt whilst they have been missing e. Is known to have mental health issues f. Is assessed at risk of sexual or other child exploitation (using the MASH CSE risk

indicator tool) g. Is in contact with persons posing a risk to children h. Forced marriage, honour based violence i. Has made a disclosure of abuse within the Missing episode

If a child or young person is still missing for more than 24 hours or missing 3 times in 90 days, the CSPoA will automatically refer the case to Children’s Social Care Access and Assessment Team for a Strategy Discussion to be arranged. If however the missing incident does not meet these trigger points, the CSPoA will manage the case as a ‘Initial Contact’ and will take necessary steps to either locate the child in the first instance (if missing less than 24 hours) alongside the police and other partners, and identify any factors which led to the child going missing. If there are any concerns in relation to CSE or other child exploitation, the Social Worker in CSPoA will complete the CSE Risk Indicator Tool to assess level of risk.





Based on information gathered in relation to the child, the CSE risk indicator tool and any push and pull factors relating to the child going missing, the CSPoA will decide if: The case should be referred into Children’s Social Care Access and

Assessment Team for a Single Assessment to be carried out;

The case should be referred to Early Help Enquiry pathway for consideration of Early Help support or;

The case should be regarded as ‘No Further Action’ or signposted to other

Universal Services. It is expected the Lead for Children Missing out of Education will be involved in providing information in relation to the child’s attendance at school including whether they are missing from school and share any relevant information to locate or identify child’s reasons for running away. Children missing education are children of compulsory school age who are not registered pupils at a school and are not receiving suitable education otherwise than at a school. Children missing education are at significant risk of underachieving, being victims of harm, exploitation or radicalisation, and becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training) later in life. The ‘Initial Contact’ stage must be completed within 24 working hours, therefore if the return interview has not taken place within this timeframe, the case will be re-assigned to the ‘Early Help Enquiry’ pathway in CSPoA to ‘hold’ the case pending the completion and return of the return interview. This step will only happen if the initial assessment of the contact has confirmed that the initial details of the misper incident present as very low or no risk. Early Help can hold the case up to 5 working days which will allow sufficient time for completion of the return home interview. Once the return interview has been completed and recorded on the Notification and Return Interview work step on Mosaic, the Missing Coordinator will review the content and suggest any recommendations in relation to next actions. It will then become the Assistant Team Manager (or for Early Help to determine what the next action should be. The next available actions will be:

If new factors are identified as part of the return interview process which

heightens the level of risk or vulnerability of the child, the case will be reassigned to the MASH Screening Manager in order that the case may be referred to Children’s Social Care Access and Assessment Team;

Case will be assigned to EH Allocation and Triage to agree ‘type’ of Early Help intervention;

Case determined as requiring ‘No Further Action’ but may be signposted to Universal Services.





In cases where a child had been missing and located, where there is no CSE risk, and the case is assessed as low risk, it will be assigned to Early Help Enquiry, pending the return interview to assess need for Early Help support or referral to other services for support. Consideration of any new information presented from the return interview will take place and if necessary referred back to the MASH Screening Manager to consider escalation in to Children’s Social Care if appropriate.

9. THE PROCEDURE FOR THE CHILDREN REPORTED MISING WHO ARE OPEN TO

CHILDREN’S SOCIAL CARE

For children and young people who have been reported missing who are already open to a team/ worker in Children’s Social Care will be reviewed by the case holding team. For each child, Business Support in the CSPoA will log details of the misper incident on the ‘Missing Chronology and Evaluation’ work step. They will also initiate a ‘Missing Notification and return interview’ work step. This will begin the process of notifying the Missing Coordinator who is responsible for arranging a return interview within 72 hours of the child returning home. The Missing notification will also be sent to the allocated Social Worker via Mosaic and the worker along with their Team Manager will decide what next steps should be taken to identify any push and pull factors which factored in the child/ young person going missing. If the child is still missing after 24 hours and the child is still actively missing, the case holding Social Worker and Team Manager will arrange a Strategy Discussion to take place as soon as possible. Likewise if the missing child is found but has been reported missing 3 times in the preceding 90 days, the Social Worker will initiate a Strategy Discussion to consider trends and reasons for repeat missing incidents. If the child is still missing after 24 hours, the Social Worker will also complete a ‘Need to Know’ form (see Appendix 2) outlining the concerns, and providing a chronology to keep relevant Service Managers, Head of Safeguarding and the Director of Children’s Services informed about activities to locate the child. If there are any concerns in relation to CSE or other child exploitation, the Social Worker should complete the LSCB CSE Screening Tool to identify level of risk (tis is available as a next action from any visit work step). A ‘CSE Notification’ work step should also be initiated on the child’s record and assigned to the SEMRAC Virtual Coordinator so that the CSE Coordinator can review the screening tool and decide whether to add the case to the SEMRAC agenda. If the case meets threshold criteria for discussion at Sexual Exploitation and Missing Risk Assessment Conference (SEMRAC) THE Social Worker will be required to complete the Victim Profile Form. It will be the allocated Social Worker/ Team’s responsibility to investigate any push or pull factors relating to the child running away. This is especially important if the child





is a looked after child. There may be issues in relation to the placement that may need to be examined therefore if a child is going missing regularly from their placement, a LAC review may need to be brought forward to consider these factors. A range of ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors may be reasons for running away:

• Push factors – conflict in the home with family members and/or carers, feeling powerless, bullying, problems at school, being unhappy in care, sexual or any other form of abuse. • Pull factors – wanting to be with family or friends, peer pressure, re- established behaviour, attractions of street life, attractions of people who may present a risk of abuse and/or exploit the child.

Where young people repeatedly go missing and place themselves at serious risk of harm, a multi-agency complex Strategy (risk management) meeting should be called by the social worker with all relevant agencies, to manage the identified risk, and agree a strategy which should be recorded in detail in the child’s care plan. This is particularly important where groups of young people run away from their care placement together and are involved in substance misuse and are being sexually exploited, or are committing offences. In any event, it is also the responsibility of the residential staff and foster carers to search the accommodation and local area, make enquiries to locate the child including contacting friends and family, ringing the child’s mobile phone and asking other staff and residents if they know the child’s whereabouts as well as taking steps to return them to a safe place.

10. PROCEDURE FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE LOOKED AFTER BY THE LOCAL AUTHORITY

(PLACED WITHIN THE RESPONSIBLE AUTHORITY OR IN A HOST AUTHORITY)

A number of basic actions should be carried out by the staff of the residential home/educational setting or the foster carer. These will be based upon the circumstances of each child and in particular, any previous incidents of the child going missing. The following list should be considered purely as a guide: Check premises and outside areas associated with the address. Ask other residents if they know of child’s whereabouts. Attempt to contact child by their mobile phone using text or voicemail if they

fail to respond. Check with other staff within the residential home/educational setting.

The staff of the residential home/educational setting or, if in foster care, the child's social worker and/or the foster carer (subject to what has been agreed as part of the Placement Plan) should complete an assessment of each incident. This will help determine whether any risk factors are immediately obvious, for example:





• The age of the child • Time of day/night • The legal status of the child • Previous behaviour and history • The emotional needs of the child e.g. whether there has been any variation in their mood or whether they have expressed any intention to harm themselves or others • Whether the child has any physical/learning difficulties • Whether the child has any serious health problems (e.g. diabetes or epilepsy) and requires regular medication • Behaviour of the child as influenced by peer groups or others • Whether the child is perceived as running to/running from someone/something • The risk of offending • The risk that the child may be targeted for sexual exploitation • Previous history of going missing • Possible location of child • Information specific to child (e.g. special interests, history of substance abuse, special confidantes, self-care skills)

Once a child is deemed to be missing, the police should be immediately notified. Support and advice is available from Social Care Team responsible for the child or, out of hours, the emergency duty team for foster carers and the on call manager for residential staff. A written record must be made by all staff including foster carers of all missing episode and unauthorised absences. It may be appropriate for an instance of unauthorised absence to be brought to the attention of police after the child has returned. For example, where the child is subject to a child protection plan, the Missing Persons Unit of the policing area the child is residing in should be informed Following a child being reported as missing who is looked after the same process would then follow for any child open to Reading Children’s Services and the steps would follow from receiving either a Police report or EDT report into CSPoA.

11. RETURN INTERVIEWS

A key requirement of the Statutory Guidance is a Return Interview for the child and the actions that follow it. This is additional to the Police Safe and Well Check, and should identify whether the child has suffered any harm whilst missing and seek to understand why the child ran away, and to prevent it happening again. Wherever possible, Return Interviews will be completed within 72 hours of the child’s return. Guidance recommends that these interviews should ideally be carried out by someone independent of the care of the young person or by someone the child trusts. The RBC Missing Coordinator is responsible for coordination of all Return Interviews which includes:





reviewing all incoming misper notification reports; allocating missing episodes, setting timescales for completion in order to

achieve the 72 hour timescale. review, quality assess and risk assess content in completed Return

Interviews.

The Missing Coordinator will then suggest recommendations for intervention and flag any identified needs or risks disclosed by the child or young person in their return interview in accordance with Missing open and closed/unknown case procedures. Reading Borough Council commission an external organisation to conduct some of our return home interviews to ensure that as many children/young people as possible are offered and have a completed return home interview within the 72 hours. In some cases, it may be more suitable for the child/young person for a member of the youth service or the Social Worker or keyworker to conduct this interview. If during the return interview the child or young person discloses information that the interviewee feels should be shared with police to safeguard the child or other children then this information will be passed to the Thames Valley Police Missing Coordinator in CSPoA and shared directly with the Social Worker if the case is already open and allocated. This may also involve completing Intel forms for Thames Valley Police. All missing episodes notified to CSPoA within 20miles of Reading are allocated a Return to home/care Interview to be completed by a local organisation called Kickz coordinated by the Missing Childrens Coordinator. The exception will be where the child already has an allocated youth worker, in which case the Youth Worker will be tasked with the interview to ensure continuity for the child. Children placed in Reading by a different responsible Authority can also be offered a Return to Care Interview if requested by the allocated social worker from the responsible authority.

Reading Looked After children placed in a host local authority further than 20miles from Reading will be offered a Return to Care interview via an independent organisation coordinated by the Missing Children’s Coordinator.

For high risk missing children, or those children in care who persistently refuse to engage with Return Interviews, the Missing Coordinator will liaise closely with the child’s Social Worker and care provider to develop an appropriate individual plan for managing the missing episodes and return interviews. Wherever possible the person conducting the interview will always try to gain consent from a parent/carer before meeting with a child/young person to undertake a return interview unless where risks or safeguarding concerns have been identified. This will always be the case where the child is under 16. We will also seek consent from the young person directly where they are over the age of 16.





12. STRATEGY MEETINGS

Strategy meetings should take place: • when the child has had 3 or more missing episodes within the last 90 days • when the child has been missing for more than 24 hours • again, if the child is still missing after 5 days

13. NEED TO KNOW PROCESS

When a child who is looked after or is on a child protection plan goes missing it is a requirement for the Social Worker/Team Manager to follow the ‘Need to Know’ process to notify the Head of Service/DCS if the child is still missing for more than 24 hours and/or the missing episode involved a serious incident or the return home interview identified significant risk to the child. There is a separate ‘Need to Know’ Process guide and a Template Form that can be found on Tri.X . These guidelines set out what the Head of Children’s Social Care and DCS need to know about, when, and how to brief them. The Head of Service/DCS will then be able to brief as required the Lead Member and Chief Executive as appropriate to ensure that:

All necessary steps have been taken to safeguard children (or staff where the need to know involves a staff member To provide appropriate resources, support or guidance

Ensure that potential for media interest is managed

Arrange any necessary external body/regulatory body notification (e.g. Ofsted, DfE notifications or Serious Case Review requirements under Working Together Guidance)

Any relevant partner “need to know” system has also been triggered (e.g. Health Services system which must be triggered concurrently)

This is necessary to ensure that those with overall responsibility are aware from the outset of any issues which may affect or disrupt service activity, service profile, or service reputation and are able to strategically manage the implications from the outset.

http://www.proceduresonline.com/reading/cs/user_controlled_lcms_area/uploaded_files/Need%20to%20Know%20Form.docx

http://www.proceduresonline.com/reading/cs/user_controlled_lcms_area/uploaded_files/Need%20To%20Know%20Process.docx





14. MISSING EVALUATION AND REVIEW GROUP (MERG)

The key task of the Group, which meets on a weekly basis, is to provide management oversight and ensure actions are completed to timescale to prevent drift, reduce risk and prevent future episodes. It will look at all children missing in the previous week including children and young people who regularly go missing. Trends and patterns will be analysed in order to link with disruption work and appropriate intervention. The meetings are attended by Social Care staff, Police, Health, Virtual Head for Children Missing out of Education, Youth Offending Service and CSE representatives. It is intended to provide escalation where actions and risks are not being managed effectively.

15. SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND MISSING RISK ASSESSMENT CONFERENCE (SEMRAC)

The Sexual Exploitation and Missing Children Risk Assessment Conference (SEMRAC) meets monthly to undertake victim profiling, identification of CSE/ exploitation risks in relation to children who go missing and considers disruption activity and preventative action to reduce risk associated with children at risk of or victim of child exploitation. It is a multi-agency strategic meeting to disrupt CSE activity and have oversight of risk to children and young people and their safety plan. The Missing Coordinator attends SEMRAC in order to provide information regarding the missing episodes and return interviews for those cases on the agenda. For further information please CSE Risk Assessment Tool kit found at www.readinglscb.org.uk/

16. CHILD DRUG EXPLOITATION (CDE) REVIEW GROUP

The CDE review group is led by Thames Valley Police and monitors intelligence disruption activity and safety plans for any children identified as having links with county line drug dealing activity and/or gangs.

17. INFORMING THE MEDIA

Thames Valley Police and RBC Children’s Social Care will make a joint decision, bearing in mind the legal status of the child, on when to use the media. Police have the responsibility to advise the media after consultation with CS who will consult with the parents and/or carers. It will be the responsibility of the Local Authority to notify their own press office. When a child is reported as missing to the police and that child is considered high risk by the police then the Constabulary’s Corporate Communication Department will be notified. In response the press officer or on-call press officer will consider issuing an urgent appeal to local media, and national if thought necessary.





The appeal will include any relevant details to highlight the importance of locating the child as soon as possible e.g. medication, vulnerability, premises from where missing etc. If the incident occurs during office hours then a member of the Thames Valley Police Corporate Communications Team will liaise with the Head of Safeguarding, RBC. Out of hours the police press officer will take forward the appeal and notify the Head of Safeguarding, via EDT at the earliest opportunity. Once the child has been located a further press release will be circulated. If the inquiry becomes protracted then TVP Corporate Communication will liaise with partners to develop a communication strategy to support the investigation, this would include plans to assist family members if they become involved in any media appeals. In all high profile situations the TVP Corporate Communications Team will engage with all partner agencies.

18. APPENDICES

Appendix 1……………….Reporting a looked after child missing

Appendix 2……………… Need to Know Template Form

APPENDIX 3……………..Missing Process Part 1- Closed/unknown cases

APPENDIX 4……………..Missing process Part 2- open cases





APPENDIX 2: CONFIDENTIAL – HIGH PRIORITY

‘NEED TO KNOW’

Case ID

DoB/Age:

Child/Young Person’s Name:

Current Address:

Legal Status:

Allocated SW and Team:

Date of Incident (Missing Since Date and Time):

Summary of Incident/ Issue:

Key Events connected to and of relevance to incident:

Immediate Actions being undertaken:

Key Issues for HoS/DCS:





Outstanding/Planned further Actions:

Comments by HoS:

Checklist of other key Actions to be completed: EDT Notification:

Date: Other Partner Agency Notification

Date: Date:

To be passed to Director via HoS

YES/NO

(HoS decision)

Ofsted Serious Incident Notification Required?

YES/NO

(HoS decision)

Key contact – Service Manager/Team Manager

Ext: Ext:

MISSING CHILDREN PROCESS Part1- Closed/ Unknown Cases

Daily Missing Person Report received from Thames Valley Police. Co-located Police will flag and discuss any high risk cases in the CSPoA directly with the CSPoA Team Manager.

Looked After Children – Out of Area Placements – Carers or Provider notify SW/EDS who then in turn notify (see separate procedure):

Notifications are sent to secure mailbox: [email protected] This mailbox is reviewed by the Missing Business Support Administrator in the CSPoA daily.

Step 1: Missing Business Administrator creates the following work steps on the child’s/YP record on Mosaic: a. Missing Chronology, Evaluation and Review b. Notification & Return Interview A notification is sent from ‘Requests’ to ‘Virtual Missing Coordinator’ to review the misper details before allocating the return interview

Step 2: Missing Business Administrator also creates an ‘Initial Contact’ work step on the Child / YP’s record Re-assign work to ‘Incoming MASH Screening Manager’ worker in tray

Step 3: Circulate daily email with table of missing children to core group including, CSE Coordinator, Virtual Head LAC and Lead for CMoE.

CLOSED / UNKNOWN CASES

Step 1: Missing Coordinator Review misper notification and allocates Return Interview to a Youth Worker to complete within 72 hrs timescale (from time child returned home)

Step 2: Incoming MASH Screening Manager (Virtual Worker) - review and re-assign ‘initial contact’ to a named worker depending on threshold level

e.g. send on to MASH Enquiry, EH Enquiry pathway, referral to A&A or NFA- signposting to Universal Services.

4. MASH Enquiry (24 hrs)- Review and decide further steps within 24

hours

3. EH Enquiry (5 days)- Review and decide further steps – Pending Return Interview

If Child/YP is previously not known to Reading CSC, a new record will be created on Mosaic

EH Enquiry

NFA Referral to CSC (A&A) Single Assessment/Strategy Discussion- if Missing more than 24 hours or 3 x in 90 days trigger met.

NFA EH Allocation

Assign case back to ‘Incoming MASH Screening Mngr’ – for a referral to CSC

2. Referral to CSC (A&A or CSE Team) S.47 referral

Signpost to Universal Svcs

Signpost to Universal Svcs

Missing Coordinator ‘Acts’ for the Virtual Misper Coordinator

To do this assign the ‘Request’ called: Youth Worker allocated Return Interview to the named Youth worker

Youth Worker completes and records Return Interview onto Mosaic in the RI section of the work step and completes the ‘Request’ on Mosaic – this will send notification back to the Virtual Missing Co-ordinator in tray. High risks factors shared immediately with CSPoA.

Missing Coordinator (Virtual Missing Coordinator) will review RI, assess any risks factors & suggest recommendations

Missing Coordinator will share recommendations with EH for consideration as part of the EH Enquiry process. The ATM for EH will decide if case needs to be sent back to Incoming Screening Manager if case needs to be opened to Children Social Care.

If Misper incident is closed to MASH, then it will be sent to EH Enquiry via next action to hold pending completion of Return Interview.

1. NFA/ signpost to Universal Svc.


MISSING CHILDREN PROCESS Part 2- Open Cases

Daily Missing Person Report received from Thames Valley Police. Police will liaise directly with Social Workers and their Managers relating to high cases.

Looked After Children – Out of Area Placements – Carers or Provider notify SW/EDS who then in turn notify (see separate procedure):

Notifications are sent to secure mailbox: [email protected] This mailbox is reviewed by the Missing Business Support Administrator in the CSPoA daily.

Missing Business Support Administrator in Children’s Single Point of Access will create the following work steps on Mosaic: 1. Missing Chronology, Evaluation and Review (this remains open on the child’s YP record and is added to each time young

person is reported missing) 2. Notification & Return Interview (next action from the above work step) 3. Sends daily email with table of missing children/ YP to CSE Coordinator, Virtual Head for LAC & lead for CMoE, SW & TM.

OPEN CASES - PROCEDURE

Missing Co-ordinator ‘Acts’ for the Virtual Misper Co-ordinator

1. Social Worker - Reviews Notification and takes appropriate next steps to address issues arising from misper incident. If child is located, SW should still review the push / pull factors and take preventative action as necessary.

Assign relevant Notification ‘Requests’ to: 1. Allocated Social Worker- Open case 2. Virtual Misper Co-ordinator

Contact with Parents/ Foster Carers/Placement

2. Missing Co-ordinator Reviews the misper notification and allocates the return interview to a Youth Worker via a request on Mosaic. This must be completed within 72 hrs timescale (from time child returned home)

Is the Child/ YP still missing after 24 hours?

To do this assign the ‘Request’ called: Youth Worker allocated Return Interview to the named Youth worker

Social Worker must complete ‘Need to Know’ form and escalate to Team Manager, Service Manager and Head of Safeguarding.

Youth Worker completes and records Return Interview onto Mosaic in the RI section of the work step and completes the ‘Request’ on Mosaic and sends request back to Virtual Missing Coordinator in tray to notify that the RI has been completed on child’s record. YW will flag any immediate risks to child’s SW/TM without delay.

Hold a Strategy Discussion/ S.47 Enquiry and consider next actions (see right)

SW maintains contact with Police/placement/ carers to locate child

Missing Co-ordinator will review RI, assess any risks factors & and liaise with allocated SW to progress any recommendations/ next actions. Missing Coordinator will escalate to the TM any concerns considered high risk to ensure actions are dealt with promptly. This will be alerted through request on Mosaic.

Review Police Welfare Assessment

Head of Service decides to Send National Missing Persons Alert

Liaise with CMoE Coordinator (Missing out on Education)

SW notifies EDS of child still missing (out of hours svc)

Initiate LAC Review/ ICPC or Update Single Assessment


missing children protocol - proceduresonline.com · 2018-08-14 · the local safeguarding children...

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