Missing Child Policy

In the event that a child goes missing, the Club will follow the following guidelines set out by the ECB:

1. If the child has a mobile phone, try calling them.
2. Search the area in which the child has gone missing including changing rooms, toilets, public and private areas and the club’s grounds. Ensure other children in your care are supervised appropriately while a search for the child is conducted.
3. A nominated person should remain at the site of the activity or last known point of the missing child in case the child returns. They should make a note of events, including a detailed physical description of the child. This should include approximate height, build, hair, and eye colour as well as the clothing the child was wearing and where and when they were last seen.
4. If the child cannot be found after a thorough search of the immediate surroundings, contact the child’s parents/carers to advise them of the concern and reassure them that everything is being done to locate their child.
5. Organise all available responsible adults and allocate them by further areas to be searched. Send searchers immediately to any venue exits to ensure the child has not left, and to any obvious potential danger spots such as nearby lakes or rivers. Request all those searching to report back within a brief time with regular updates.
6. If the child cannot be found after the extended search, contact the parents/carers again to inform them you will now report this to the police.
7. After contacting the parents/carers report the missing child to the police. Ensure this is no more than 20 minutes after the child’s disappearance is noted, even if the search is not complete. This should include the information recorded in point 3.
8. If the police recommend further action before they get involved, follow their guidance.

When the child is found:

1. Ensure that you inform all involved in any search including the parents/carers, searchers, and police when the child is located.
2. Make sure the child and anyone else affected are OK and provide additional support if needed.
3. Log the incident and review with the Club Safeguarding Officer to mitigate any risk of recurrence.

Last Bi-Annual Review Conducted March 2024