Sexual and criminal exploitation of missing looked after children
This debate pack of the House of Commons Library in the UK provides information on the issue of looked after children going missing, the policies governing their care placements, and the risks of sexual and criminal exploitation associated with these situations. It outlines the legal and policy framework that regulates how local authorities, police and partner agencies respond when children in care go missing, including the Runaway and Missing from Home and Care protocol and the safeguarding duties set out in the Children Act and Department for Education guidance. The document explains the responsibilities of foster carers, children’s homes and local authorities to prevent children from going missing, report incidents promptly and maintain records. It also examines the use of out-of-area placements, where children are placed away from their home authority due to care needs or safeguarding concerns. While sometimes necessary, these placements can disrupt support networks and increase vulnerability. Particular attention is given to the risks of child sexual exploitation and child criminal exploitation, including involvement in county lines drug networks. Evidence from police forces and parliamentary inquiries indicates that looked after children, especially those placed far from home, may face heightened risks due to isolation, disrupted education and limited local support.
Authors
- Sally Lipscombe
- Tim Jarrett
- Maria Lalic
- Bess Jap
Publication year
2019
Child sexual exploitation by organised networks: investigation report
This inquiry explores the relationship between children going missing and their vulnerability to child sexual exploitation, highlighting how missing episodes can both result from and increase the risk of exploitation. Across England and Wales, more than 143,000 incidents of children going missing were recorded in 2018/19, involving over 51,000 children. Around 9 percent of these incidents were flagged as linked to CSE, with girls representing the majority of those affected. Children in care are disproportionately represented: although they make up a small proportion of the child population, they account for a large share of missing incidents. Evidence from case studies shows that repeated episodes of going missing are common among exploited children and often coincide with grooming, trafficking, or contact with adults who exploit them. However, investigations frequently revealed missed safeguarding opportunities, limited follow-up on disclosures, and inconsistent police responses. In several areas, inspections found inadequate or poor handling of missing children cases, including failures to investigate perpetrators or recognise exploitation risks. Return Home Interviews, intended to understand why children went missing and identify safeguarding needs, are a key protective tool. Yet their implementation and quality vary widely, and the information gathered is not always effectively used. Overall, the inquiry highlights the need for stronger multi-agency coordination, improved data sharing, and more consistent safeguarding practices to better protect children at risk of exploitation.
Authors
- Professor Alexis Jay OBE
- Professor Sir Malcolm Evans KCMG OBE
- Ivor Frank
- Drusilla Sharpling CBE for the Independant inquiry child sexual abuse
Publication year
2022
Still Hidden? Going missing as an indicator of child sexual exploitation
This article explores how increasing awareness of the link between going missing and child sexual exploitation can strengthen national safeguarding efforts for young people at risk. It highlights that missing incidents can take many forms, including running away, being forced to leave home or care, abduction, trafficking, or kidnapping. Going missing can both contribute to and result from sexual exploitation, making it a key risk indicator for children in home and care environments. Repeated missing episodes, regardless of duration, signal heightened vulnerability and present crucial opportunities for professionals to assess risk and provide protection when the young person returns. The study emphasizes that young people over 16 are also at risk, but are often less likely to be identified as needing protection due to assumptions about consent and autonomy. Missing incidents and exploitation can intersect with other vulnerabilities, such as forced marriage, and victims may go missing to escape their exploiters, yet face limited access to safe, specialist support. Recognizing these dynamics is essential to improve prevention, timely intervention, and tailored support for children and adolescents exposed to sexual exploitation.
Authors
- Nicola Sharp
Publication year
2016
Online Grooming & Going Missing: the Voices of European Survivors
This research paper explores the connection between tech-facilitated online grooming and episodes of children going missing. Online grooming is a manipulative process in which offenders build trust with children through digital platforms in order to sexually exploit them. Unlike offline grooming, it often unfolds in a non-linear way, with overlapping stages of manipulation that can accelerate abuse. Despite the growing prevalence of technology-enabled exploitation, limited research has examined its relationship with missing-child incidents. Developed under the EU-funded CESAGRAM Project, this study addresses this gap by amplifying survivors’ voices. Using qualitative methods, it reconstructs the experiences of 20 European young adults aged 18–24 who were groomed as minors and later went missing. By tracing trajectories from initial online contact to disappearance, the research identifies key risk factors associated with grooming and abduction, including trauma exposure and underlying victim vulnerabilities. Centred on survivor perspectives, the study challenges the culture of silence surrounding child sexual exploitation and abuse. It provides insights to inform prevention and support strategies and offers frontline professionals actionable knowledge to recognise warning signs, intervene earlier, and provide effective support to children before, during, and after disappearance.
Authors
- Missing Children Europe
Publication year
2024