Missing Child/Young Person Return Interview

The local authority has a duty to ensure that every child and young person in their area is safe. When a child/young person goes missing the police inform Oxfordshire County Council requesting them to interview the child/young person to ensure that they are safe and to give them an opportunity to discuss their reasons for going missing, what happened while they were missing and how they may consider alternative options to going missing in the future.

Where a child/young person is * ‘open’ to Children’s Social Care (CSC) or Youth Offending Service) YOS this interview is conducted by members of this service.

Where child/young person is not ‘open’ to these services the details of the child/young person requiring a missing child interview are sent to Early Intervention Service (EIS).

  • If it is the first time that a child/young person has been reported ‘missing’ then the EI Worker contacts the relevant school and requests an appropriate School Staff member undertake the interview. On completion of the interview, School will be required to complete the Missing Child/young Person Return Interview Form and return to the Hub within 3 working days
  • If the child/young person has been reported ‘missing’ previously then the EI Worker contacts the School and requests that an appropriate member of the School Staff be present whilst the allocated EIWorker conducts the interview. If the child has Special Educational Needs then it may be more appropriate for the School Staff member to lead the interview. A Missing Child/young person Return Interview Form is completed
  • If interview highlights Safeguarding concerns need to consider Child Sexual Exploitation and completion of CSE screening tool and referral to Children’s Social Care.

No safeguarding concerns, consider if a CAF required?

  • The completed Missing Child/Young Person Return Interview Form to be returned to the local EIS Hub of the child’s home address
  • The Hub on receipt of the form will look at the information you have provided, decide any follow-up action required and store in a confidential file they will also send copies to the missing child administrator and

Thames Valley Police missing child

Open = CSC or YOS working with the child/young person

All return interviews are expected to be completed as a maximum within one working week from the date that child/young person returns home

Early Intervention Service

Pathway Missing Child &Young Person from Home

Missing Child/Young Person Return Interview Record

May 2013