ZMissing and Absent Children

Target Group

This training is targeted at Children’s Social Care staff and other professionals within the LB of Sutton.

This training is targeted at professionals in direct contact with children who contribute to assessments and multi-agency meetings including social workers, family support workers, police and others that work with children at risk of or who have been exploited.

Group Level 2 (regular contact with children, young people and/or parent/carer) or Level 3 (predominantly working with children) or above (including strategic leads) as set out in the Safeguarding Competency framework in London Safeguarding Child Procedures. NHS Inter-Collegiate Standards 2 and above for health professionals.

Aim

This session aims to review definitions of missing and absent, the legislation, protocols and procedures related to missing children and equip professionals with tools to assess risk and intervene appropriately when a child is at risk of or has been missing.

The training will be a combination of information sharing and activity-based learning to promote a child-centered approach to multi-agency safeguarding of missing children.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the training participants should:

• Be able to distinguish between children who are missing and those who are considered absent from home/care.
• Understand legislation and procedures related to missing and absent.
• Understand roles and responsibilities of different agencies in relation to missing and absent, as set out in the LSCP Missing and Safeguarding Adolescents protocols.
• Be able to recognise the signs and vulnerabilities of children at risk of missing.
• Increased confidence in risk management & safety planning.
• Improved understanding of parents/carers’ role in reducing missing episodes.
• Be able to effectively engage children to explore concerns around missing.
• Knowledge of and increased skills in completing the preparatory tools, such as the grab pack.
• Understand the purpose of and how to use Return Home Interviews as a tool.
• Increased understanding of learning from Serious Case Reviews.
• Understand the local services and support available for missing children.