SUMMIT

FAQs

Call the hotline if you are a:

child who is missing from home / care or a child who is thinking of leaving home / care
parent or carer of a missing child
child, young person, or adult who has information about a missing child

Make a report to the police if you know of a child who has gone missing. This can be done by anybody, not just the parents or carers. You may also call the 116 000 hotline for support, advice, and to share valuable information about a missing child.

Who answers the calls?

Professionally trained Hotline Operators.

Does the 116 000 hotline work in my country?

The 116 000 number works in 32 countries in Europe. You can find the list of countries here.

The 116 000 hotline is not available in my country, who can I contact instead?

Always contact your national police to report a missing child or to share information relating to a missing child.

Other national hotlines or children’s organisations are available in your country, you can find this online.

Who can call the 116 000 hotline?

Everyone. Children, young people, parents or carers, families, and third party adults.

If you know about a missing child or if you know of a child at risk of going missing, the 116 000 hotline will be able to support you.

What information am I required to give when I call the 116 000 hotline?

You will be asked for details related to the missing child and their circumstances.

The more information provided the more help this will be for the protection of the child.

Do I have to share my details, I want to remain anonymous?

No, you do not have to share your details. Only share your details should you wish to.

The SUMMIT project (Safeguarding Unaccompanied Migrant Minors from going Missing by Identifying Best Practices and Training Actors on Interagency Cooperation) was launched in October 2014 and ended in 2016. It addressed how the disappearance of an unaccompanied child is tackled in different Member States and promoted successful strategies and behaviours related to the prevention and response to the disappearances.

Facts about the topic

In 2014, very little was known about missing children in migration, although reports as old as 2005 referred to the fact that up to 50% of unaccompanied children were going missing from certain facilities in Europe. This project was the first one to explore with grassroots practitioners why children in migration leave-are pushed out of care and existing challenges in terms of prevention and response to the disappearance of children in migration. It also provided guidance and specific tools to improve prevention and response, based on good practices collected across Europe.

Impact

The SUMMIT project successfully combined the experience of actors which primarily deal with the care of unaccompanied children and those which focus on disappearances of children, including law enforcement and hotlines for missing children. The research study provided an overview of the challenges that informed several national and European policies, whilst the guidance became the basis for several trainings in different countries and was helpful to provide ways to improve cooperation across sectors and agencies.