Agencies outline Rochdale’s ‘missing from home’ strategy

(L-R) Chief Inspector Chris Hill, GMP Rochdale; Gail Hopper, Director of Children’s Services at Rochdale Borough Council; PC Nathan McLean, GMP Rochdale; Jacqui Selby, Training & Marketing Development Worker at Early Break; Martin Murphy, Service Manager at The Sunrise Team; Kate Kennedy, Team Leader for The Children’s Society’s Rochdale MFH service; Andy Clough, Hope For Justice; Inspector Andy Riley, GMP Rochdale

Police, social workers and charities gathered at Rochdale Town Hall on Friday 10 April to discuss how they are dealing with children who go missing from home (MFH).

Representatives from Children’s Services, Greater Manchester Police and the borough’s specialist child sexual exploitation (CSE) Sunrise Team joined The Children’s Society, trafficking charity Hope For Justice and youth drug and alcohol charity Early Break to explain how they are working together to safeguard children living in the borough who go missing from home or care.

Police officers, children’s home workers, foster carers and members of the public listened to speakers explain their part in delivering the borough’s MFH strategy. Responding to young people who go missing is also one of the top priorities of Project Phoenix as part of the Greater Manchester approach to tackling child sexual exploitation.

As part of Operation Madison, GMP has trained 26 additional staff to deal with the issue. Bi-weekly meetings take place to discuss those young people who go missing, with a dedicated PC acting as a link with organisations in and outside of the borough to share information and provide a joined-up approach to assessing risk and providing support.

Specialist support is available to all young people who require help whether they live permanently or temporarily in Rochdale. This includes help from the Sunrise Team, Hope for Justice, Early Break, and The Children’s Society.

The event was introduced by Gail Hopper, Director of Children’s Services at Rochdale Borough Council, who said: “Friday was a very positive example of the innovative way in which organisations are working in partnership to safeguard children and young people.

“More importantly, we hope this will lead to a broader understanding of the links between children going missing from home or care and serious risks of CSE, human trafficking and the misuse of drugs and alcohol.

“It is a significant priority across Greater Manchester through the work of Project Phoenix and we want to reduce risks and be more effective in our approaches by sharing learning and practice between partners, councils and other agencies throughout the region.”

Chief Inspector Chris Hill of GMP Rochdale, whose team coordinated the event, said: “The detection and protection of missing children and young people is a key priority for Greater Manchester Police and its partners.

“It is crucial that we do everything in our power to identify these young people and prosecute individuals who prey on them, and most of all that these children are believed and protected.

“The event was just one way in which we are working hard to improve awareness and education from within our organisations. Tackling the issue is everyone’s responsibility.”

Kate Kennedy, Team Leader for The Children’s Society’s new Rochdale MFH service, said:
“When a young person goes missing from home they can be especially vulnerable. We've been helping to keep young people who go missing safe for more than 25 years in Greater Manchester and our staff and volunteers are helping 18 young people aged up to 21 at any one time as part of our new Rochdale service.

"We talk to them about the reasons why they go missing, safe places and people, and healthy relationships on and offline, and help get them support for any more specific problems they have. This reduces the likelihood of them going missing, helping them to stay safe.

“We’ve also provided group support to nearly 2,400 young people through Rochdale Borough Council's Crucial Crew event and groups in youth clubs and schools.”