News from our partners: Proactive and innovative approach to support and protect missing people in Shropshire

News from our partners West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner

A proactive and innovative approach to support and protect missing people in West Mercia is backed by the Police and Crime Commissioner.

An average of 14 people go missing every day in West Mercia. Many of these disappear repeatedly, and are vulnerable because of their age, health, mental health or disappear from a place of care.

In Shropshire, where a disproportionate number of young people reside in care, the Commissioner has invested in a scheme with The Children’s Society and Shropshire Council to ensuring all missing young people are fully assessed on their returning, to ensure that they are safe, and to reduce the risk of them becoming missing again.

Through the use of technology West Mercia Police are using analysis to prevent repeat missing occurrences, protect those who are currently missing through task-based investigation and work with partner agencies to provide provision to those at risk.

The force are also one of the first to team up with the Missing People Charity and the Samaritans to provide a text safe service to vulnerable people. A message followed up with a phone call can be sent quickly to a person identified at risk, signposting them to other services and putting them in touch with one of the Samaritans 21,000 listening volunteers – one in three people have engaged with this service, compared to one in 20 who were reached previously.

Missing people

The Commissioner has also invested in West Mercia Search and Rescue, whose volunteers provide extra support to the police, in finding those who are vulnerable.

Commissioner John Campion said:-

“Identifying and tackling the root causes which cause people to go missing is vitally important not only to keep vulnerable people safe, but to reduce the impact that missing people investigations have on police resources and demand. I welcome this multi-faceted approach, making the best use of technology, working across agencies and with innovative approaches to tackle this issue. The investments I have made are clear examples of how both West Mercia Police and I are committed to protecting the most vulnerable.”

The Children’s Society will be providing support to children placed in care in Shropshire by other councils outside the county who then go missing from their placement.

These children will be offered a return home interview when they return from their time missing.  This is a one-to-one session with an independent professional aimed at understanding the issues which led them to go missing and helping them access any additional support they may need to prevent this from happening.

Shauna Breen, Service Manager at The Children’s Society, said

“Children may go missing for many reasons – be it that they feel unhappy, miss their friends and family, or even because they are being groomed for sexual or criminal exploitation – but whatever the reason, going missing can put them at real risk of harm.

“Yet we see across the country that too often children do not get the help they need, especially if they are placed in care far from home. Information about their situation and the dangers they may face is often not shared across the borders between the councils and police forces they are known to, and the support they need is delayed or not offered until things reach crisis.

“We are therefore delighted to be able to provide this vital support for vulnerable young people in Shropshire, because no child should be left feeling that running away is their only option.”

Missing People in West Mercia- The Current Picture

In Shropshire (Jan to Dec 2018)

• There were 1,231 missing person reports. (An average of 3 every day)
• There were 708 individuals who went missing
• 745 of these reports involved under 18s
• There were 298 missing individuals under 18
• The average time for someone to be missing was 47 hours
• There were 154 repeat missing people
• There were 677 reports from repeat missing people (55% of all reports were repeats)
• There were 539 reports from people missing from care or foster care
• From the above, 39 missing people were found harmed, and 9 were found deceased.

In West Mercia (Jan to Dec 2018)

• There were 4,978 reports of missing people (An average of 14 a day)
• There were 2,864 missing individuals.
• 2,945 of these reports involved under 18s
• There were 1,187 missing individuals under 18
• The average time for someone to be missing is 40 hours
• There were 623 repeat missing people
• There were 2,737 reports from repeat missing people
• There were 2,126 reports from people missing from care or foster care
• The person to report ratio is 1:7
• From the above, 204 missing people were found harmed, and 32 were found deceased.