May 25 is International Missing Children’s Day, this is a day which honours the missing and abducted children around the world. Its creation was brought about after the tragic case of Etan Patz in America on the 25th of May 1979, when missing children received barely any national media coverage. International Missing Children’s Day is a day to remind us of the thousands of children that go missing every day; an estimated 8 million children go missing every year worldwide, of which approximately 115,000 are within the UK. It is tragic that not all children are found and today is a reminder to help aid efforts to find those missing children and return them home.
Despite the efforts made, this is an endless issue due to the many various ways children become susceptible to going missing such as online grooming, trafficking and abduction. However, there are ways to promote awareness of reducing the risk, such as education around the importance of being safe and reminding children from an early age about ‘stranger danger’ to protect them from exploitation.
Children within care are a particularly vulnerable category. Children run away or go missing in care for many reason, sometimes because they are unhappy, missing family or not being able to participate in activities. For children in care, Local Authorities are to abide by Section 17 of the Children’s Act to carry out assessments to safeguard the child. They are encouraged to comply with protocols, such as the Philomena Protocol, to carry out risk assessments to understand the behaviour patterns of the child. Provisions like this will help bring children back safely and quickly.
Ultimately, this day is a way to raise awareness to protect children around the world. At Ramsdens, we realise the worldwide issue that surrounds the safety of children. At Ramsdens, our Care team understand the importance of the surroundings and education of children to reduce the chances of them becoming another missing child.
If you need advice, call our Child Care team on 01924 431 774 or email care@ramsdens.co.uk to book a free information session with our expert solicitors at any of our offices including Huddersfield, Leeds,York and Wakefield.