New Program Aims to Prevent Children from Going Missing

An initiative aimed at decreasing the incidence of children disappearing has commenced. Northumbria Police stated that its “Safe Return” campaign, operating in Sunderland, involves collaboration with various organizations to pinpoint children who frequently disappear. Personnel will conduct home visits and formulate “bespoke plans” for intervention, encompassing education on substances and evaluations of behavior. According to the Northumbria force, a trial of this program conducted by a different police service yielded “positive results.” Funding for the program is provided by the Violence Reduction Unit, an entity situated within the office of Police and Crime Commissioner Susan Dungworth. Two employees from the charity Waythrough are tasked with evaluating children who have departed from their homes between one and three times. These individuals will visit the children and develop strategies for prevention to mitigate their risk of harm. Northamptonshire Police, which previously piloted the initiative, reported that out of 263 participating children, merely 8% subsequently went missing again. For updates, follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.