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National Policing Improvement Agency

How to send a message home

If you have gone missing (or dont have

contact with your family but think you mayhave been reported missing) and you want tolet the police and your family know that youare safe, you can go to any police station withproof of you identity and tell them that youhave been reported missing. The police willconfirm who you are and will speak with youto confirm that you are safe and well. Thepolice will then let your family or whoever

reported you missing know that you are safe.

If you are an adult and do not want anyone to

know where you are, the police are obliged torespect your wishes and will not inform yourfamily of your whereabouts. However, if youare a vulnerable person (for example under

the age of 16 or suffering from a mentalillness) the police officer will have a duty toprotect you and may decided, on the basis of

a risk assessment, to take a different courseof action.

If you are missing and need help from the

police, visit your local police station ortelephone your local police force. Telephonenumbers can be found in the phone book oronline: www.police.uk/?view=force_sites

If you are in danger and need urgentassistance, dial 999

If you would rather not contact the police, the

charity Missing People can send a message toyour family or friends. They can also adviseand assist if you would like to be reunited with

your family, but are unsure as to how to goabout this.

Help and Support from Missing People

The charity Missing People is the largest UK

charity helping missing people and their familyand friends. Missing People also providesadvice and assistance to children and adultswho are missing. They can provide you with

support and send a message back to yourfamily. They wont tell anyone that you havecontacted them unless you want them to. Ifyou do want to get back in touch with your

family, they can help.

Missing People

Telephone: 0500 700 700

Email: info@missingpeople.org.uk

Website: www.missingpeople.org.uk

Missing Peoples helplines are there foryou

Missing People run a Runaway Helpline for

those under 18 and a Message Home Servicefor those aged 18 and over. These are

confidential services, which provide help,advice and support to people who are missing.These services are available via phone, text oremail.

Runaway Helpline for young people

The Runaway Helpline is a UK-wide free andconfidential service for anyone who has runaway from care or home or has been forced toleave home. The helpline is open 24 hours a

day and can be accessed by telephone, text oremail. If you want them to, the RunawayHelpline could help you to contact your family,

a carer, a support agency such as SocialServices or a young persons project. They

If you are missingHow to send a message home and access helpFactsheet 11

UK Missing Persons Bureau

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may also be able to help you find a place ofsafety. You can even text the helpline if youhave no credit left on your mobile phone.

Contact the Runaway Helpline on:

Freephone: 0808 800 70 70Email: runaway@missingpeople.org

Text: 80234

Message Home helpline for adults

Message Home is a service accessible 24hours a day for adults who are missing and

are seeking confidential help and advice.Message Home can help you to contact your

family or pass on a message to them, to letthem know that you are safe. They will onlypass on your message and will not tell yourfamily any other information, such as yourlocation.

Freephone: 0800 700 740

Email:

messagehome@missingpeople.org.uk

Text: 80234

If you are in distress

If you are upset, worried or depressed andwant to speak to someone, but dont want tocontact the police or a missing personsorganisation, you can contact a confidentialhelpline.

Samaritans

You can talk to Samaritans any time of the

day or night if you are worried, upset,confused or would just like to talk to someone.Samaritans provides confidential emotionalsupport and you can reach them by telephone,

email, letter or alternatively, you can drop intoa local branch and talk to someone face toface.

Telephone: 08457 90 90 90 or116 123

Email: jo@samaritans.org

Website: www.samaritans.org

Childline

The Childline helpline is there for you if you

want to talk about anything that is troublingyou.

Childline provides help, information and advicefor children and young people, whether theyare missing or not, at any time of the day ornight.

You can call their helpline or you can send anemail or chat with someone online, using theirwebsite.

Telephone: 0800 11 11 or 116 111Website: www.childine.org.uk

Email:www.childline.org.uk/Talk/Pages/Email.aspx

Online Chat:www.childline.org.uk/Talk/Chat/Pages/OnlineChat.aspx

116 000

By phoning 116 000, you will be put in touchwith an organisation which supports missingpersons and their families. The number

operates in the UK and in Belgium, Denmark,France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, TheNetherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania,

Slovakia and Spain. Calls to 116 000 in theUK are answered by the charity Missing People(see previous section) and callers can accessthe Message Home facility and the Runaways

Helpline, as well as being able to speak to anadvisor.

NPIA 2011For additional copies, to enquire about the content ofthis document or request the information in analternative format, please contact the UK MissingPersons Bureau on 0845 000 5481 or emailmissingpersonsbureau@npia.pnn.police.uk

The information in this guide is not definitive andshould be utilised in conjunction with policeguidance and independent legal advice.

If you require more information, including otherfactsheets, please visit the NPIA websitewww.npia.police.uk/mpb