Missing Children

Key statistics and figures

• Someone is reported missing every 90 seconds in the UK  
• Over 170,000 people are reported missing every year  
• There are nearly 350,000 reported missing incidents every year  

How many people go missing each year?  

• Missing people: of the 0ver 170,000 people reported missing nearly 96,000 are adults and nearly  75,000 are children
• Missing incidents: of the nearly 350,000 reported incidents, nearly 130,000 incidents relate to missing adults and over 216,000 relate to missing children
• Looked after children are at high risk of being reported missing. 1 in 10 looked-after children are reported missing compared to 1 in 200 children. Looked after children who are reported missing will be reported on average 6 times  

Most of the people who are reported missing may be experiencing some kind of vulnerability or risk. This can be exacerbated by being missing, particularly where someone goes missing more than once.  

How did we come up with these figures? The statistics were developed by Missing People using statistics in the National Crime Agency report 2022-23. The figures used are the number of incidents (i.e. the total number of reports of someone going missing, including missing incidents) and the number of individuals (i.e. number of individual adults and children reported missing, which does not reflect repeat missing).

Under-reporting  

Research shows that police data is likely to be a significant underestimate. There are limitations to the NCA data, including differing recording practices and incomplete data, and some people will not be reported missing to the police at all. Research suggests that as many as 7 in 10 children are not reported to the police when they go missing. Little is known about adults who are not reported missing.  

What is ‘missing’? 

There is not one multi-agency definition of missing, however the definition for police is “anyone whose whereabouts cannot be established will be considered as missing until located, and their well-being or otherwise confirmed.”  

How long are children and young people missing for?

79% of children are found within 24 hours, and 90% are found within 2 days. Less than 2% of children will be missing for longer than a week.

Why do children and young people go missing?

There are a wide range of reasons why children go missing, and often there is more than one cause. Some of the most common reasons for children to be missing are:

Conflict, abuse and neglect at home

• More than half of missing children have experienced this and 1 in 5 felt forced to leave 

Sexual exploitation

• 7 in 10 young people who have been sexually exploited have also been reported missing  
• 1 in 7 of the children who completed return home interviews with Missing People had been sexually exploited  

Trafficking

• 1 in 4 trafficked children who are looked after in local authority care have gone missing  
• Nearly 1 in 10 children who completed return home interviews with Missing People had been a victim of criminal exploitation 

Mental health

• 1 in 5 children who completed return home interviews with Missing People disclosed information about mental health issues  
• 1 in 10 was at risk of self-harm  
• 4% were at risk of suicide  

The most common issues raised in conversations with the children seeking help are:

• Relationship breakdown
• Problems at home
• Homelessness
• Mental health
• Living in care

Statutory guidance on children who run away or go missing from home or a care home:

Children who run away or go missing from home or care - GOV.UK