Missing
Helping young people stay safe
It’s thought that a quarter of children and young people who run away or are reported missing are at risk of serious harm. So Greater Manchester’s Safeguarding Partnership has teamed up with the charity ‘Missing People’ and their Runaway Helpline to let young people know there is somewhere they can turn for support and advice on staying safe.
Thankfully most young people who’ve been missing return safe and well, and when they do, local authorities are responsible for meeting with them to find out what led them to run away from home or care or stay out long enough to be reported missing.
They may uncover a problem at home or school or can offer advice to young people who find themselves drawn away by someone or something outside of their home.
They should work with young people to help address any problem and provide information to help them stay safe should they go missing again.
If you’re thinking of running away or are concerned about a friend, click on the link to the right to find details of someone who can help near you.
Missing children are more vulnerable to all types of exploitation – sexual exploitation, gang exploitation, violent crime or drug and alcohol misuse. Research across Greater Manchester shows that 95% of young people identified as being at risk of Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) went missing on more than one occasion.
To help raise awareness of the risks to missing young people the ‘It’s Not Okay’ campaign, which is Greater Manchester’s multi-agency approach to fighting CSE, will devote its Week of Action to this issue, taking place from 14th March 2016. Find out more at the www.itsnotokay.co.uk/missing.
Bolton
- If you are a young person who wants to speak with a social worker about any concerns you have about yourself or anyone else you can ring us on: 01204 337729 or 337730.
- RUNA supports children and young people who have been missing from home or are thinking of running away in Bolton. Our service is confidential and you can contact us: www.urbanoutreach.co.uk/portfolio-posts/runa/
telephone – 01204 385848
email – info@urbanoutreach.co.uk
address – Urban Outreach Office, Environ House, Salop Street, Bolton, BL2 1DZ
Bury
- Bury’s Children’s Rights Service (during office hours) – 0161 253 6339
- Bury’s Emergency Duty Team (outside office hours) – 0161 253 6606
Manchester
Oldham
Rochdale
- If you are a young person who wants to speak with a social worker about any concerns you have about yourself or anyone else – email Rochdale’s Multi-Agency Screening Service at MASS@rochdale.gov.uk.
- The Children’s Society run a Missing from Home Service in Rochdale and can be contacted on 01706 345600
Salford
Missing From Home Team
0161 6071888 – Monday-Friday 08:30-16:30
07973 949431 – Monday-Friday 18:00-24:00
The Missing From Home Team has been operating in the Salford area since January 2015. We provide independent, face to face support for children and young people up to the age of 18yrs who have been reported missing either from home, care or education.
Our aim is to reduce the number of children and young people running away from home or care by:
- Identifying and dealing with any harm the child/young person may have suffered whilst absent, including harm that might not have already been disclosed to the police as part of the ‘Safe and Well’ checks.
- Understanding and trying to address the reasons why the child or young person has ran away.
- Helping to prevent further episodes of running away by signposting to other agencies to help reducing the number of times a young person will run away again.
Return Interviews
When a young person is reported missing the police will conduct a ‘safe and well check’. This information is then passed on to the missing from home team. We will then contact the child/young person and their family/carers within 72hours to arrange a visit. We call this a ‘Return Interview’.
The aim of the Return Interview is to provide a ‘listening ear’ to the child/young person to give them the ‘space’ and ‘opportunity’ to talk about what led to them running away and to express what did happen whilst they were away.
We seek to engage with the child/young person to identify solutions to the issues that led to them running away and in some cases this will be managed through a one off intervention.
In some cases, when a one off intervention is not deemed to be sufficient, we will also sign post/ refer to other agencies such as the Children Society to offer one-to-one support to the child, young person and their families.
Stockport
Stockport Participation Team is responsible for carrying out Missing From Home Return Interviews and targeted interventions with young people to minimise missing from home episodes.
Contact 0161 474 5677 during office hours only 8:30 – 16:30 Mon – Fri or email: cfparticipationteam@stockport.gov.uk
Stockport Multi Agency Safeguarding Support Hub Office Hours – 0161 217 6028
Emergency Out of Office Hours 0161 718 2118
Twitter: Phoenix Stockport: @phoenixJdiv1
Tameside
Tameside Public Service Hub:
- Mon to Fri during office hours – 0161 342 4101
- Out of office hours (incl. evenings and weekends) – 0161 342 2222
Trafford
Talkshop is a specialist, confidential advice and information service for young people aged 11 – 18 years old in Trafford delivered by specialist youth workers.
We provide advice and Information on:
- SHOT (Sexual Health)
- Young Parents
- Missing From Home
- CSE – Project work and mentoring)
- L.G.B.T.
- Advice and Information (housing, bullying, self-esteem, self-harm)
- Counselling Services
The services is operational the following days and times:
Monday 1pm – 3pm Drop in 3pm – 6pm Bridgewater Clinic
Tuesday 1pm -5pm
Wednesday 1pm – 5pm Drop in. Twilight groups operate up to 7pm
Thursday 1pm -3pm Drop in 3pm – 6pm Bridgewater Clinic
Friday 10am – 1pm
Contact Information for Talkshop:
Telephone 0161 9122453 The Talkshop, Sale Waterside, Tatton Road, Sale, M33 72F
For emergencies please call MARAT (Multi Agency Referral and Assessment Team) – 0161 912 5125. Out of hours – 0161 912 2020
Website www.talkshop.trafford.co.uk Facebook www.facebook.com/talkshopsale Twitter @TalkshopSale