Children’s safety is maintained as the highest priority at all times, both on and off of the premises. Every attempt is made through close and careful supervision, carrying out the outings procedure and risk assessment and the exit/entrance safety procedures to ensure the security of children is maintained at all times. In the unlikely event of a child going missing, my missing child procedure is as follows:.

 

Links to EYFS Statutory Framework:

Section 3 – The Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements 3.62

 

Procedures:

Child going missing on the premises

• We will carry out a thorough search of the building and the garden as soon as child is missing.

• The register is checked to make sure that no other child has also gone astray.

• Doors and gates are checked to see if there has been a breach of security whereby a child could have left the premises independently.

• If the child is not found, the parent is contacted and the missing child is reported to the police.

• We will record when and where the child was last seen.

 

Child goes missing on an outing

Actions taken when a child goes missing from an outing may be a little different, as parents sometimes attend and are responsible for their own child.

• As soon as it is noticed that a child is missing, I will ask children to stand still and carry out a headcount to ensure that no other child has gone astray. I will search the immediate vicinity but not beyond that as I will need to continue to maintain the safety of the other children in my care.

• We will contact the police and report the child as missing.

• We will then contact the parent, who will need to make their way to the setting or outing venue. The setting is advised as the best place, as by the time the parent arrives, the child may have been returned to the setting.

• In an indoor venue, I will contact the venue’s security who will handle the search and contact the police if the child is not found.

• We may be advised by the police to stay at the venue until they arrive.

 

The investigation

• We will keep calm and not let the other children become anxious or worried.

• We will speak with the parent(s).

• We will carry out a full investigation taking written statements from any other childminders who were on the outing.

• We will write an incident report detailing:

• The date and time of the report

• When the child was last seen in the group/outing.

• What has taken place in the group or outing since the child went missing.

• The time it is estimated that the child went missing.

• A conclusion is drawn as to how the breach of security happened.

• If the incident warrants a police investigation, I will co-operate fully. In this case, the police will handle all aspects of the investigation. Children’s Social Care will be involved if it seems likely that there is a child protection issue to address.

• The incident is reported under RIDDOR arrangements (see the Reporting of Accidents and Incidents policy); the local authority Health and Safety Officer may want to investigate and will decide if there is a case for prosecution.

• In the event of disciplinary action needing to be taken against myself or my assistant, Ofsted is informed.

• Insurance provider is informed.

 

Managing people

• Missing child incidents are very worrying for all concerned. Part of managing the incident is to try and keep everyone as calm as possible.

• Parents will feel angry and fraught. They may want to blame us as the people responsible for the care of their child at the time of the child going missing. When dealing with a distraught and angry parent, I will endeavour to have someone else with me, no matter how understandable the parent’s anger may be, aggression or threats against staff are not to be tolerated, and the police should be called if this happens.

• The other children are also sensitive to what is going on around them. They too may be worried. When caring for them, I need to be focused on their needs and must not discuss the incident in front of them. I will answer children’s questions honestly but also reassure them.

• I will not discuss any missing child incident with the press without taking advice.

 

I and any assistants understand our responsibilities under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the circumstances under which we may share information about you and your child with other agencies (please refer to Data Protection policy and Privacy Notice).

 

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