What to do When Your Child is Missing?

• Check your house first. Young children especially, like to hide under sofas or in closets, etc.

• Get in touch with neighbors and friends of your child immediately to see if they know where she/he might be.

• If you cannot find your child, call the police immediately and give a description of her/him so the officer can look for the child on the way to your house.

• Ensure someone is at home to answer the phone should you leave the house.

• Inform the police if there has been any problem that may have been the reason for your child to run away versus being kidnapped.

• Inform the police if the child has ever gone missing in the past and where he/she was found.

• Remain calm and try to remember the details around the time of your child’s disappearance.

• Try to remember what your child was wearing, if you cannot remember check his/her closets and drawers.

• See if any money or other valuables are missing.

• Also, tell the police what the child likes, such as foods or games etc.

• Inform the police immediately if the child is found.

Time is a very important factor if a child is missing. Immediate access to current information about the missing child is critical. Although nobody hopes to be in such a situation where this information is needed, parents have to keep in mind that child abduction can occur anytime, anywhere, to any child. Therefore, parents must have the resources and knowledge about their children ready, so they can take action if their children become missing.

It is important and useful to have ready:

• Complete physical description (weight, height, birthmarks, moles, scars etc.).

• Parental information (separated, divorce etc.)

• Medical records (blood type, allergies, conditions and etc)

• Dental records.

• Information about family and friends (list of names, phone numbers and addresses)

• Current photograph

• Fingerprints

Missing children fall under one of four categories:

Every year, a non-custodial parent or a non-family member abducts thousands of children around the world. Many of these children fall victim to physical, sexual or psychological abuse. Thousands more run away from home and face exploitation in the form of pornography, prostitution, drugs and threats.

According to statistics provided by the RCMP categories of missing children are listed below:

Child Find Provincial Headquarters

If you would like to make a donation or find out more about Child Find, please call or write the nearest Child Find Office.

Child Find On-Line: http://www.childfind.ca

If your child is missing or you see a missing child call the Child Find office nearest you or call:

1-800-387-7962.