Police investigations drop after national framework is
implemented.
The number of police investigations into missing persons has
fallen significantly since a national framework was implemented
to support those most at risk.
The National Missing Persons Framework for Scotland – the first
of its kind in the UK – works to prevent people going missing and
respond quickly when they do. It sets out how partners
including Police Scotland, the NHS, education services and third
sector organisations can work together when someone is identified
as being at risk of going missing. This work has been backed by
Scottish Government funding of £750,000 so far with a further
£150,000 this year which supports two National Missing Persons
co-ordinators.
Building on the progress to date, the Scottish Government has
launched a refreshed framework, to include enhanced training for
those working with people who have previously gone missing to
better understand the underlying causes. Closer working will be
supported between public protection teams and local child and
adult protection committees to link resources and treat missing
cases as part of their wider oversight work.
Protocols to collect key information for children, care
experienced children and people living with dementia who are at
risk of going missing will be promoted and implemented across
Scotland. As a result, crucial information will be quickly
available to police, meaning they can take action sooner when
someone does go missing.
Community Safety Minister said:
“It is devastating for families and friends when a loved one goes
missing. Since we first published the framework in 2017, the
proportion of people going missing once who do so again has
dropped from one in two to one in three and our collaborative
approach has seen a decrease in the number of investigations
needed.
“Scotland is leading the way in shared efforts to reduce the
number of people who go missing each year. To help further reduce
the risk of people going missing and to limit the harm when they
do, we are introducing new measures to make it easier to identify
those at risk. The refreshed National Missing Persons Framework
for Scotland 2025 builds on good practice to continue to support
some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.”
Chair of the Working Group for Missing People in Scotland.
Professor Hester Parr said:
“The expert Working Group is delighted to be launching this
guidance, which will help protect missing people and their
families. The guidance in Scotland are informed by research and
best practice, is unique in the UK and helps Scotland lead the
way internationally in trying to address this deeply entrenched
social and spatial problem. Missing is a sticky issue for
multi-agency groups, and the new guidance offers support for
change and progress in Scotland. This builds on existing success
but also charts a path to more change and continuous improvement.
Missing people deserve nothing less than that.”
Martin Crewe, Director of Barnardo's Scotland, said:
“Barnardo's was involved in the initial writing of the 2017
National Missing Persons Framework for Scotland, and have
continued to work in partnership with Scottish Government on the
implementation plan for delivering on the Framework.
“As active members of the Working Group for Missing People in
Scotland and informed by the work of our missing services in
Renfrewshire and North Lanarkshire, we continue to advocate for
Scotland's children and young people by bringing their real-life
experiences of going missing to the discussion. Today's launch of
the updated National Missing Persons Framework for Scotland is an
important step as we continue our efforts to reduce the instances
and impact of missing for children and young people.
“It was a pleasure for our team to welcome Ms Brown to our Common
Ground service today in order for her to learn about the valuable
work undertaken by this service. Common Ground is a partnership
project in Glasgow City Centre that provides a safe, supportive
presence for young people on Friday and Saturday afternoons and
evenings. It was developed in response to rising concerns around
exploitation, vulnerability and risk-led responses to youth
presence in the city centre.”
Background
National Missing Persons
Framework for Scotland 2025 - gov.scot
In 2017-18 Police Scotland conducted 22,966 investigations for
people who were missing with one in two of those investigations
for a person who had been missing previously. This has reduced to
14,670 in 2024-25 with a drop to one in three investigations
involving a person who had previously been missing: https://nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/images/mpu/downloads/ukmpu_statistics_report_2017_2018.pdf,
Scottish Police Authority, Corporate Performance Report, Q4
2024-25. Quarterly Policing
Performance Report Q4 2024-25
Overview of The National
Missing Persons Framework - Missing People
Thematic inspection of
police response to missing persons in Scotland | HM Inspectorate
of Constabulary in Scotland
