Children missing from education

Where children have gone missing, we will follow the West Mercia Pathway for Children who go Missing from Home, care or Education.

All staff are aware that children going missing, particularly repeatedly, can act as a vital warning sign of a range of safeguarding possibilities. This may include abuse and neglect, including sexual abuse or exploitation and child criminal exploitation, including involvement in county lines. It may indicate mental health problems, risk of substance abuse, risk of travelling to conflict zones, risk of female genital mutilation, ‘honour’-based abuse or risk of forced marriage. We will use early help strategies if necessary to identify the existence of any underlying safeguarding risk and to help prevent the risks of a child going missing in future. As part of induction, staff will be made aware of our unauthorised absence and children missing from education procedures.