Missing From Home Return Interview Service

Cumbria County Council has a statutory responsibility to ensure that all children aged up to 18 years who run away or go missing from home or care are offered a return interview when they are found / return home. The interviews should be carried out within 72 hours of their return. Independent return interviews provide an opportunity to uncover information that can help protect children from the risk of going missing again, from risks they may have been exposed to while missing or from risk factors in their home. A disproportionate number of children who go missing are looked after compared with the children’s population as a whole. Children looked after who go missing are particularly vulnerable and can be at increased risk of exploitation. Unaccompanied asylum seekers or other migrant children may have been trafficked into the UK. They may remain under the influence of their traffickers and are therefore at high risk of going missing. Cumbria County Council internally provides a return interview service for children who are not included within the remit of this contract.