Return Interviews

Practice Guidance

The return interview has been updated and will look slightly different when you receive one. This is to come into line with new guidance from the Police Crime Commissioners which will eventually remove the title “absent” and grade missing episodes. The belief being if a child is “missing” then they are missing and not “absent”. The new grading will be

  • Missing no apparent risk
  • Missing Low
  • Missing Medium
  • Missing high

The police computers are not compliant with the new system as yet so please DO NOT use “Missing no apparent risk”. Further advice will be sent out prior to the police “going live” with their new computer system. However, there are other changes within the episode we feel we cannot delay on implementing. The new boxes will allow us to collect data on cases where the child is from an authority outside of Derbyshire and placed within Derbyshire. The form also reminds everyone that a child who is missing 3 or more times in a 30 day period requires a strategy meeting. There is also guidance/prompts on questions that will help gather the information required. This information is held behind the question marks within the episodes which looks like this. The list of questions and where they are in the episode are attached below. These questions have been agreed in conjunction with the police and Derby City to try to get a unified approach.

Return from missing interviews are government directed. They should be completed by somebody who does not care for the child and needs to ensure they are a positive and non-judgemental in its approach. They need to be completed within 72hours of return.

The interview and actions that follow from it should:

  • identify and deal with any harm the child has suffered – including harm that might not have already been disclosed as part of the ‘police prevention visit’ – either before they ran away or whilst missing;
  • understand and try to address the reasons why the child ran away;
  • help the child feel safe and understand that they have options to prevent repeat instances of them running away;
  • provide them with information on how to stay safe if they choose to run away again, including helpline numbers.
  • It is also a chance to get first hand observations from carers.

The Process

When children are reported missing the police creates a “Compact” report that is sent to social care. This comes through in a document to social care via email. Business services then record this on FWi and it is under “registrations” on the front screen of Framework I for that child and the missing “compact” is uploaded into “documents” on Framework I. When the child is found the police again alert social care in a similar format. Information on this compact will detail any discussion held during the police “prevention visit”. Business services then create and episode with this information in it and the outcome of this episode is the return interview which is sent to the allocated worker or team. They will also case record that this has been done and alert the worker and their manager to this via a case note alert. The information the police have gathered within the compact reports should be read before going on the “return visit or interview”.

When the return interview episode is being completed workers need to be aware that;

  • The episode is emailed as a standalone document to the police so putting “see different episode dated…” is not appropriate.
  • The police do not have access to Framework I so asking the reader to see certain case notes etc is not sufficient and all information needs to be within the episode.

The police then collate the information to try to build a picture of where the child has been and assess risks for any future reports of being missing. Any interviews returned that state “see case note” or “refused to engage” as a minimum will be rejected. The information needs to be put in this episode.

More than two missing episodes in a 30 day period.

If a child is reported missing more than twice in a 30day period (3 or more times) then the Team Manager needs to hold a strategy meeting to ensure a support plan is in place and no concerns are being missed. The completion of a CSE toolkit should be considered. Missing has been added to the Strategy episode as a reason for a Strategy meeting.

Can one interview cover more than one missing episode?

There have been occasions where a return visit/interview has been arranged and the child goes missing again prior to this meeting. Both incidents can be discussed at the same time and the information put into the relevant episode.

The child does not want to speak to me.

If a child does not wish to engage with the return interview then observations can be reported on i.e. any signs of injury, under the influence of etc. The carers can provide important information i.e. were they cold/hungry/under the influence of any substances when they returned? Have they said anything to the carers about where they have been or what activities they were involved in whilst away from home? Were they missing with any other children and if so what have they told their workers that could inform your assessment? You can also use this time to leave appropriate numbers that the child could use if they need support.

Manager’s responsibility

It is the Team Managers responsibility to keep a track of what return home visits are within the team to ensure they are not forgotten. If the worker is off sick or on leave then the task should be given to another worker who can completed the visit within timescale.

Missing or Runaway Child Return Visit Record

Missing or Runaway Child ReturnVisit Record:

ReturnvisitsMUSTideallybeundertakenwithin72hours(3Workingdays)ofChildbeingfound orreturning.

Child Details:

Child's Name:

Date of birth

Person ID: (Frameworki)

Responsible LocalAuthority:

Responsible Local Authority:

Missing PeriodDetails:

MissingFrom:

DateMissingFrom:Time MissingFrom:

Police Missing Notification ReferenceNumber:

How often has the Child gone Missing within the Last 30 days

DateFound/Returned:

TimeFound/Returned:

Return Visit Record

Date of Follow Up Contact With Child or Young Person

Return VisitCategory:

ContactType:

CaseType:

Tick if Contact Declined Write reason if known in return visit summary field below.

Tick if unable to make contact Write reason if known in return visit summary field below.

MissingCategory:

Child's Account of Missing Episode: (Behind the ? the lead questions below will appear)

Tickifthereareconcernsthatthechildmayhavebeenorbeatriskofharmduetochildsexual exploitation.

Where it is felt there are concerns about or risk of Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) who did the Child meet and what is their relationship: (Behind the ? the lead questions below will appear)

Child's Description of their Return Home (Behind the ? the lead questions below will appear)

Parent/Guardian/Carer's Description of the Missing Episode:(Behind the ? the lead questions below will appear)

Tick if return visit was undertaken within 72 hours (3 Working days) of Child being found or returning.

If not within 72 hours, provide reason:

Outcomes and AddtionalActions

Outcomes Recommended

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Follow Up Actions Taken:

When reported missing - Open DCC Social Care / Child in Care Cases:

Copy of Return Visit Record should be shared with the Allocated Worker when visit undertaken by another worker.

Copy of Return Visit Record should be provided to the other Local Authority when visit undertaken by a DCC worker on their behalf.

Date ReturnVisit Record Shared or Provided:

WhenreturnvisitiscompletetheOutcomesbothoutcomesareselected:MissingorRunawayChild ReturnVisitCompleteandBusinessServicesrespondtoReferrerorClient(theBusinessServices outcome is passed to the Safeguarding Children's Services team) and the

Version 1 T Tassi Feb 20181