Missing People (formerly National Missing Persons Helpline) is the UK's only charity that works with young runaways, missing and unidentified people, their families and others who care for them.
Visit the Missing People website
Missing People charity working in partnership with police
A landmark agreement which was signed between Missing People and ACPO (on behalf of all forces in England and Wales) means that police are able to efficiently make use of the expertise and services of the charity. We offer a full range of services to police for missing person and unidentified cases – available to officers at no charge.
Missing People is committed to working with police officers to ensure the safety of vulnerable people in society and is keen to offer advice or training to police about how our services can save them time and money.
Previously known as National Missing Persons Helpline, the charity changed it’s identity to Missing People in May 2007. This was after extensive consultation with supporters, staff and partners and was driven by many factors – not least because the charity has evolved into so much more than a single helpline! Our new branding is instantly recognisable and we also have a brand new website www.missingpeople.org.uk which contains exciting new features such as Missing Map and Missing People TV, which features video appeals for missing people. You can also download presentations given at the conference http://www.missingpeople.org.uk/professionals/the-police/conference/ - this page will be updated with details of future conferences.
The recent Missing People conference was attended by 201 delegates, including Warwickshire Police. Most of the forces in the UK were represented and one delegate had travelled all the way from Australia! One session at the conference which was considered particularly useful was an onstage discussion between police family liaison officers, a case manager from Missing People and family members of a previously missing person. One officer commented that this was “most thought provoking and emotive, it bought home just how important it is to give thought to every aspect of family liaison. It was very good to hear about the support Missing People can give in this area.”
Geoff Newiss, Head of Policy and Research at the charity, used the conference as a platform to reveal details of the Missing People research programme. “At present there is still little in the way of scientifically reliable information on the numbers of children and adults going missing, why they go missing, their experiences whilst away, and the impact on those left behind. Missing People’s research programme aims to fill these knowledge gaps.”
For more information on the work of the charity Missing People (formerly National Missing Persons Helpline) visit www.missingpeople.org.uk
Conference ‘Missing People – Beyond the National Protocol’
Missing People organised this event specifically for police delegates. The aim is to showcase the working partnership and multi-agency approach between the charity, police and other agencies involved with missing people. Hilton Hotel, Blackpool, 20–21 September 2007.
The charity supports the work of police and social services and signed a National Protocol Agreement (NPA) with every UK police force on the 21 December 2006.
Full details of the initial projects due in the research programme:
- Long term missing children – Missing People will draw on data from a range of sources to examine the number and characteristics of children who are missing for long periods of time, and to investigate associated risks and outcomes.
- The extent of missing in the UK – Missing People aims to compile an annual data series about missing people, drawing on data from a range of official sources. This work will enable Missing People to make recommendations for improvements in data collection both nationally and internationally.
- Fatal outcomes – the Missing People team will undertake research to improve understanding of the circumstances in which missing people are found dead.
- Impact – a large scale Missing People research project is underway that will examine the range of impacts on families left behind when someone goes missing. An initial study will explore a number of different missing cases and will provide a basis for further more detailed examination of the impact and costs of missing on those left behind. About Missing People
Missing People (formerly National Missing Persons Helpline) is the UK’s only charity that works with young runaways, missing and unidentified people, their families and others who care for them. As well as actively searching for missing people and supporting those who are trying to find them, the charity offers three other services: Runaway Helpline (for young runaways), Message Home (for missing adults) and Identification (helping to resolve cases of unidentified people).
For more information visit our website at www.missingpeople.org.uk
Registered Charity No. 1020419.
Key facts:
- Our work directly finds 10 missing people every week
- An estimated 210,000 reports of missing people are made to UK police forces each year. Around two-thirds of these concern young people under the age of 18.