S131. Persons Missing from Their Home
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{{org_field_name}}
Persons Missing from Their Home Policy
Policy Statement
This policy sets out the values, principles and procedures underpinning {{org_field_name}}’s approach to the discovery that a person using its service for whom it is responsible is missing, particularly any child or children for whom it is providing a service.
Through its policy and procedures, {{org_field_name}} also seeks to comply with the requirements to report serious instances through the Care Quality Commission (CQC) notification procedures and the local Safeguarding Adults Board/Safeguarding Children Board’s (or where in operation, Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)) procedures and take the appropriate actions in the event of accidents or in the event of a person receiving care going missing from their home, when {{org_field_name}} retains responsibility for that person’s safety.
A person receiving care going “missing” would be an obvious cause for concern, particularly if the missing person is a child, who will then be seen as seriously at risk of harm.
However, it is accepted that there will be many active adults who use a care service who value their mobility and independence and spend time out in the local community without raising concern. Their needs for close supervision must always be balanced against their rights to make their own decisions regarding their movements and whereabouts.
Preventing Missing Persons Incidents
Staff must remain vigilant at all times and try to be aware of exactly where vulnerable people receiving care (adults or children) are at any given time.
People receiving care who are prone to walking out or “wandering”, or who may be at risk of getting lost by reason of their mental state, will have this identified during risk assessment and a suitable entry made in their care plan. People are kept under observation as appropriate to the level of risk identified.
Action taken to avoid false alarms includes the simple precaution of encouraging people receiving care, their relatives and friends, to inform any responsible supporting care staff when they are out or not available and to give both a time they expect to return and a contact name and telephone number. All such arrangements are recorded.
Raising the Alarm
Staff should raise the alarm immediately they suspect that a person receiving care could be missing by informing their duty manager and, where practicable, the person’s relatives. In the case of a child, the parents/guardians should be informed as soon as possible.
Situations where a missing persons report should be made include the following.
- Where a person receiving care has not returned from an arranged outing, activity or walk.
- Where the person receiving care is a child who wanders off or absents him or herself from a designated area or activity.
- Where a person receiving care cannot be found at home and their whereabouts cannot be accounted for.
Procedure in the Event of a Person Being Reported as Missing
Upon receiving a missing persons report, the duty manager should carry out the following procedure.
- Check that the missing person is not on a prearranged outing, activity or walk which has not been notified to the staff member.
- Check with contacts (relatives, etc) who might be aware of the person’s whereabouts.
- Where practicable, organise a search of the immediate vicinity in case the person has just gone out temporarily.
- Where it is a missing child check with any other people who have been involved in the activity and supervision of the location/activity.
- Where there are clear concerns notify the police or arrange a plan of action with family members, carers, etc.
- Upon conclusion of a missing person’s incident, {{org_field_name}} should investigate it to identify possible changes to the person’s care arrangements or to {{org_field_name}}’s policies and procedures.
Missing or Lost Children
When a child who is receiving a care service goes missing when under the designated supervision of one or more of {{org_field_name}}’s employees, the care staff responsible must:
- consider where the child is likely to have gone, including whether he or she might still be on the premises, is hiding, has wandered off deliberately or accidentally, etc
- consider the risks to the child’s safety as a result of his or her going missing, taking into account the lapse of time
- carry out a search of places where the child is most likely to be
- depending on the situation, seek help alerting and involving others in the search after explaining why it is important to find the child, whose disabilities could increase the risks to their safety
- contact immediately the child’s parents if the child is not with them, explain the actions being taken and seek their advice as relevant
- notify the supervisor/manager, who might need to take responsibility for gathering all relevant information and liaising with the required authorities and parents or representatives of the child or young person
- contact the police as soon as it is realised that the child cannot be found by an immediate search, making sure that there is no unnecessary delay
- have all personal details on the missing child/children to hand, eg in contact with the parents so that they can report accurately and efficiently to the police and others involved in the search
- make sure that any other child or children being supervised by the care workers and other adults are kept safe while the search is being carried out.
Procedure to Follow After a Missing Persons Incident
Care staff must record any significant incident on the person’s care plan and {{org_field_name}}’s accident/incident records (which should be available for CQC inspection if required). The recording should include the times the person went missing and was returned and the actions taken for the person to be returned.
If the person was injured or harmed or was seriously at risk of being harmed because of going missing, the management will notify the CQC and the relevant Local Authority Safeguarding Board (or MASH), which might wish to investigate further depending on the circumstances.
If a complaint is made against a care staff member as a result of a person receiving care going missing, the matter will be investigated through the complaints procedure. The investigation will include any possible misconduct by the care staff responsible as a result of the person going missing through its established disciplinary procedures.
All staff are made aware of the possible consequences of a person receiving care whom they are supervising, particularly a child, going missing.
Training
All staff are trained in the missing persons procedure and to know their role in the event of a search.
Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}
Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}
Next review date: this policy is reviewed annualy (every 12 months). When needed, this policy is also updated in response to changes in legislation, regulation, best practices, or organisational changes.
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