Every year, Police Scotland receive over 30,000 calls reporting people missing. Missing people require a proportionate and consistent partnership approach to quickly locate and support them and prevent further missing episodes.
It is therefore important for us all to be informed about Missing and for some of us to be skilled and have enhanced training if we work with an at-risk group.
To underpin our multiagency commitment to good quality responses to Missing we have developed and agreed a protocol in Forth Valley. This protocol is designed for the use of all practitioners who are involved in the prevention, response, support and protection of persons who go missing or are at risk of going missing.
Forth Valley Missing Persons Protocol
National Missing Persons Framework Toolkit for Professionals in Scotland
RETURN DISCUSSIONS
The National Missing Person Framework and good practice encourages the returned person to be given a choice as to who they would like to complete their Return Discussion, with the aim of increasing the chances of engagement, identifying triggers and preventing further missing episodes. Where possible, the Return Discussion will be undertaken by a person chosen by the missing person and likely to be someone who has a pre-existing relationship with the missing person, a “trusted adult”.
The purpose of the return discussion is to:
- Support the individual who has gone missing and identify the underlying causes so that these can be addressed;
- Provide an opportunity for them to talk about the circumstances that prompted them to go missing;
- Provide an opportunity for them to talk about their experience while missing and their feelings following their return;
- Use relevant information gathered to help prevent further missing episodes by;
- Identify safeguarding concerns and opportunities for further support;
We all have a responsibility to ensure we are familiar with the return discussion guidance, process and tools and confident to carry this work out if the missing person would like us to.
A return discussion flowchart and the return discussion form are available below;
