What to do if your young person has run away or is missing from home

It can be extremely upsetting, frustrating and frightening if your child or young person runs away or goes missing from home.

To try to support their safe return:

Take reasonable steps to try to locate them - first of all if they have a mobile phone ring them, it may be they just missed the bus and are running late and have no phone credit. 

If you do not get a response think hard about the circumstances leading up to them not returning home. Has this happened before and if so where did they go?

Is there any reason why they would have run away or gone missing that might help you to locate them?

Try ringing their friends and family to see if anyone knows where they are.

If you have tried all the steps above and are still worried and unable to contact them report them missing to your local Police, in South Yorkshire the number is 01142 20 20 20. 

It is helpful if to get a recent photo ready for when the Police visit you at home.  Tell the police all the facts as you have them, the more information they have, the more they can do to try and locate your child or young person.

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