The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Missing Children and Adults seeks to raise awareness of the issues faced by children and adults who run away or go missing, as well as the families they leave behind.
The APPG is Chaired by Michelle Walsh MP, with Missing People and The Children’s Society providing Co-Secretariat for the group.
The APPG seeks to meet regularly to discuss relevant current issues, raise awareness and press for changes in policy, practice or law as needed. In addition, the group holds public events to raise awareness about key issues, and holds inquiries where issues require further investigation.
If you have any questions about the APPG or would like to know how you can become involved with it, the Policy and Research team via policyandresearch@missingpeople.org.uk. For formal information on the APPG, including its qualifying members, see the Parliament website.
In June 2026, the APPG held a Parliamentary roundtable with Police, regulatory and Home Office stakeholders to raise awareness and support the implementation of the Black and Missing Toolkit. The read out for this meeting can be found here.
In March 2026, the APPG held a Parliamentary event for the #LookCloser campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the signs of child exploitation and young people who go missing can be protected from harm. You can find out more about the campaign here.
In January 2026, following a period of inactivity, the APPG on Missing Children and Adults was re-launched with a new Chair, Michelle Walsh MP. Planning for APPG activity began.
In July 2021 Rehman Chishti MP, Chair of the APPG, raised the issue of missing and the need for an improved response during Prime Minister’s Questions. The question and response from the Prime Minister can be found here.
In March 2021 the APPG held an open meeting to consider the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on missing children and adults. The presentations and discussions focussed on mental health and exploitation, how both were affected by the first year of the pandemic and the impact this had on missing people. The event was attended by representatives from over 19 police forces, 31 local authorities, care providers, Ofsted, UK Missing Persons Unit, and a range of others. A briefing can be found here.
In July 2018, the APPG published a report on our inquiry into safeguarding missing adults who have mental health issues. The report includes a number of recommendations to the Government, health services, the police and other services. In September 2019 the APPG held a ‘One-Year-On Roundtable’ to review progress against the recommendations of the Inquiry and published a collection of good practice in the response to missing adults. More information about both can be found here. Following this the APPG tasked Missing People with coordinating a Task and Finish Group to develop a national framework for the response to adults who go missing from health and care settings. This was published in 2020. Work is ongoing to ensure that missing adults receive the response they need.
On 18 October 2018 an event was held in Parliament to raise awareness of the legal and financial issues facing families of missing people amongst MPs and Peers. Two families who have experienced a loved one going missing and ensuing financial and practical difficulties attended the event to share their experience.
On 16 March 2017 a roundtable meeting was held to discuss and increase awareness of the links between children going missing and gang exploitation.
In 2016 the APPG undertook an inquiry into safeguarding children categorised as ‘absent’. The APPG report on the inquiry can be found here
For more information please contact policyandresearch@missingpeople.org.uk
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