1 - Missing from home and care process – Child is absent, away from placement without authorisation or missing
Currently open to Children’s Social Work Service
Absent: A child not at a place where they are expected or required to be.
Away from placement without authorisation: A looked after child whose whereabouts is known but who is not at their placement or place they
are expected to be and the carer has concerns or the incident has been notified to the local authority or the police.
Missing: A child reported as missing to the police. They are not where they should be; there may be immediate concerns for their safety. Their
whereabouts is unknown.
Planning and Placement
Before a child or young person is placed, consideration needs to be given to their risk of missing. Care Planning has included assessment of
appropriate placement arrangements to protect the child or young person from the risk of going missing or being away from placement without
authorisation; includes notification to host authority when placed out of area. Takes place before placement made and during the placement
Child is not where they should be
Repeat absences
Repeat absences must
prompt Vulnerability and
Risk Management
Planning meeting and or
an early care plan review
Initial action taken to locate the child or young
person and return home
Residential Staff, Foster Carer or Parent takes
action to try to locate the child or young person
and return them home
Follow agreed actions as
identified in Care Planning
and Vulnerability and Risk
Management Planning
Includes Missing, away from
placement without
authorisation, or absence
Decision made whether child is absent, away
from placement without authorisation or missing
This may be decided by the Residential Staff or the
Foster Carer or the Parent. They may seek guidance
from the Social Worker, Emergency Duty Team (after
hours) or Supervising Fostering Social Worker.
Consider 24 hour or 72 hour guidance about
when to upgrade to Missing
Absent or away from placement
without authorisation
Details of absence are recorded until
child or young person returns home
Residential Staff, Foster Carer or parent
record details of the away from
placement / absence episode
Review & decide if absent or missing
Carers review situation minimum every
six hours and at 11pm and 8am - Decide
if absent or missing
If whereabouts unknown max 24
hours before deciding missing;
Whereabouts known, max 72 hours
before deciding missing
Absent or away from placement
without authorisation
Continued efforts to locate them and
return them home
Residential Staff, Foster Carer or Parent
continues to try to locate the child or
young person and return them home
Carers share information
Residential Staff, Foster Carer and
parent to share their records of the away
from placement / absence episode with
the Social Worker to support accurate
recording
Throughout the absence, away from
placement or missing episode,
Residential Staff, Foster Carer or Parent
or EDT Share information with relevant
others
Share information with others as required
including: Social Worker, Emergency Duty Team
(after hours) Supervising Fostering Social
Worker, Independent Reviewing Officer, Child
Protection Chair, those with Parental
Responsibility, the Police, the ISU and
the Host Authority if the Leeds child is placed
out of area
Missing
Police Assess risk and respond
accordingly
 Based on the information
provided about the child or
young person they assess the
risk as Low, Medium or High
 Depending on their assessment
they respond to locate the child
or young person accordingly
Continued efforts to locate and return home
And planning for the child’s return
 Residential Staff, Foster Carer or Parent
continues to try to locate the child or young
person and return them home in liaison with
the Police and Social Worker
 Social worker to lead on planning for child’s
return; including identifying alternative /
contingency accommodation and the key
contact for the child
 Social worker to consider convening a
Missing Vulnerability and Risk
Management Planning Meeting
Missing
Details of missing are recorded until
the child or young persons is located
Residential Staff, Foster Carer or parent
record details of the missing episode
and prepare information to provide to the
police
Report to the Police 101
Essential details about the child and a
photo are provided
 Residential Staff or Foster Carer or
Parent make report to the Police
 Will involve discussion with the social
worker in office hours/ EDT out of
hours
 Should refer to guidance to
understand the process, what they
should expect and how to provide
the best information
Notification of Missing on
Frameworki
Social Worker starts to record the
missing event on Frameworki using the
Notification of Missing template
Report to ISU
Using agreed reporting process, Social
Worker ensures that the ISU is informed
that the child is missing