Missing Child Policy (under 16)

1.   Statement
2.   Aims
3.   Related policies, legislation and guidance
4.   Attendance and reporting long-term absence; Children Missing Education
5.   Procedure: when a child goes missing
6.   Review

1. Statement
This policy applies specifically to children under the age of 16; children of compulsory school age. Nonetheless, the College remains vigilant to all instances of student absence and the potential safeguarding implications.

2. Aims
This policy aims to set out clear guidance on what to do if a child goes missing from education.

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3. Related policies, legislation and guidance
3.1 Related policies

• Attendance Policy
• Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy and Procedure
• Health and Safety Policy

3.2. Legislation and guidance
This policy has been developed in accordance with relevant government legislation and guidance including Keeping Children Safe in Education, Working Together to Safeguard Children, Working together to improve school attendance and Children missing education. Full list of legislation and guidance.

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4. Attendance and reporting long-term absence; Children Missing Education
The College monitors attendance closely, taking registers for each class four times during each day, with additional morning and afternoon registration for GCSE students. The Attendance Officer follows up each unauthorised absence with a telephone call to verify the whereabouts of the student. The College requires all students to have more than one contact number. The College will inform the Local Authority if any student fails to attend College for 10 days in succession.

Where a student has been continuously absent without authorisation for a period of not less than 20 school days and there are no reasonable grounds to believe the student is at risk, unwell or unable to attend because of any unavoidable cause and the College and the local authority have failed, following reasonable enquiry, to ascertain the whereabouts of the student, the College may remove the student’s name from the admission’s register, which it is obliged by law to maintain. The College will inform the Local Authority.

4.1 Children Missing Education (CME)
CME is a critical issue with potential safeguarding implications that are dealt with in more detail in the Attendance Policy.

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5. Procedure
5.1. When a child goes missing
The College will make all reasonable efforts to find a child who is absent. This will initially involve:

• Checking with their friends.
• Checking with reception.
• Informing a senior member of staff.
• Calling the student’s mobile.
• Making enquiries with other students and staff.

If initial enquiries have been unsuccessful, then further action may require involvement of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), Facilities Manager, the Senior Leadership Team and external agencies. Actions include, but are not limited, to:

• DSL recording all actions up to the point that the student is found.
• DSL calling the parents and/or guardians.
• DSL organising a search of the College.
• DSL calling the police and/or other external agencies.
• Facilities Manager to contact the building insurers, where appropriate.
• If a student has been found having suffered a reportable injury, Facilities Manager to inform the Health and Safety Executive under RIDDOR.
• SLT devising a press strategy if the student has not been found.

5.2 When a child goes missing on an outing
Staff must take the following measures if a child goes missing during a College outing:

• Take an immediate head count.
• Search the vicinity.
• Inform the DSL.
• Return the remaining students to the College premises.
• DSL to contact parents/guardians.
• DSL to contact Local Safeguarding Children’s Partnership, the police and/or LADO, if appropriate.

6. Review
This policy, and any incidents that may have occurred in relation to children going missing, are discussed in the College’s annual safeguarding review and necessary updates and improved security measures implemented.

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