Missing People Website

Runaways

Runaway Helpline is a national, Freefone confidential service for anyone who has run away from home or care, or been forced to leave home.

Freefone 0808 800 7070

Email: runawayhelpline@missingpeople.org.uk

We know that young people run away for many different reasons. Sometimes it is following an argument, or because of bullying, abuse, unhappiness. Sometimes you just want to get some space.

At Runaway Helpline we don't judge you or tell you what to do. We are here to help you talk through what has happened to you and to explore options of how we can help.

If you feel you can’t call your family or carer yourself, but would like to get a message to someone, we can help. We can forward a message on your behalf to your family or carer. Whatever your reason - whether you want to explain that you need some space or you just want to find out if you can go back - forwarding a message, and receiving one in return, can help give you the confidence to make a phone call yourself. 

If you want, we can also arrange a three-way call or conference call, where we connect you through to your family or carer. We find that having someone else on the line can make it easier for you to talk. These calls cannot be traced to you.

Perhaps getting in touch with home or your carer isn't the right thing for you. If that’s the case, we can explore other options with you. For example, we can put you in contact with a locally based runaways’ project, if there is one in your area. Or we can talk about helping you speak to a social worker, if you would like that. Some of our callers want to know if they are reported missing to the police and others worry that they are in trouble with the police. If you want, we can help you talk to a police officer via a three-way call. Again, this call can't be traced and it gives you the chance to ask any questions you may have. There might even be a refuge in your area,. There are lots of ways we can help, so please get in touch.

Freefone 0808 800 7070

Contacting us by email: runawayhelpline@missingpeople.org.uk

You may prefer to contact Runaway Helpline by sending us an email. We aim to reply to you as soon as possible. Through email, we can try and pass a message to your family or give you advice and explore your options. Our email service is confidential, and as with phone calls, your email cannot be traced.

Runaway Helpline is a confidential service and we can't trace calls. If we did think you were at risk of serious harm, we may need to let someone else know - but we'd always work with you first to get the help you want.

For more information on our confidentiality policy please email: services@missingpeople.org.uk

DISCLAIMER: For the purposes of training, calls to our helplines may be listened in to by additional members of staff. This also allows us to develop the quality of our services. All of our helpline staff and volunteers are bound by our confidentiality policy. Calls to all our helplines cannot be traced and are not recorded.