We are looking for autistic people with lived experience of going missing or running away to share their experiences, either by completing our survey or by taking part in an interview*.
For more general information about this research, please read on.
Autism and missing – why are we doing this research?
Missing as an issue encompasses a broad spectrum of experiences and intersects with a variety of other social issues, including mental health, criminal and sexual exploitation, and homelessness amongst others. We know that many of the people who go missing, both as children and adults, are autistic. The reasons for them going missing may be linked to their autism but also a range of other medical, psychological, and sociological factors. Autism is therefore a very important piece in the jigsaw of missing, and as a charity we feel it is important for us to better understand the experience of autistic people who go missing.
What do we want to achieve with this research?
The purpose of this research is to explore the relationship between missing and autism so that we can better advocate on behalf of autistic people who go missing, and to ensure our own services are best meeting their needs.
We will also publish a report with a view to improving people’s understanding of the links between autism and missing, and the unique challenges faced by autistic people before, during, and after a missing episode. The report will also offer guidance to families and carers of autistic people at risk of going missing, as well as to professionals such as social workers, police, and other key agencies regarding prevention, investigation, and support on return.
Through this research, we hope to influence the policies and practices of key agencies and groups involved when someone goes missing to ensure that the needs of autistic people who go missing (or who might be at risk of going missing) are being met, that they can access the support they need, and that their safety is prioritised.
How are we carrying out this research?
We are using a variety of methods in this research – surveys, interviews and focus groups – to collect the views and experiences of families and carers, professionals who work with autistic people, and most importantly autistic people themselves, ideally those with lived experience of being missing.
How can you help us?
If you are autistic (whether formally diagnosed or self-diagnosed), are aged 18 or over, and have lived experience of going missing or running away**, we would like to hear from you. You can complete our lived experience survey, take part in an interview, or both.
The survey should take anything from 5 to 20 minutes to complete depending on how much you wish to share, while we expect interviews to take roughly one hour. All data collected as part of this research will remain anonymous, strictly confidential, and will be stored securely and only accessible by the research team at Missing People. You will not be identifiable in any internal or external report based on the data you share.
What will I be asked about?
Whether you complete our survey, take part in an interview, or both – you will be asked a range of questions exploring:
Triggering questions
Please note that some questions or topics could potentially be triggering for some, such as those related to suicide, self-harm, abuse, or exploitation. As a charity, we take safeguarding extremely seriously. We have therefore put measures in place to avoid, or at least minimise, the risk of potential distress to participants:
About Missing People
Missing People is a lifeline when someone disappears. We provide support for anyone affected by missing, including through our free, confidential helpline. To see the full range of services we deliver, click here.
If you are missing, thinking of going missing, or are in any way affected by someone going missing and need to talk to someone, please contact Missing People via phone or text on 116 000, or e-mail 116000@missingpeople.org.uk.
*Please note that you can choose from different interview formats (e.g. verbal, text-based, or picture-based interviews), and request any accommodations that would help to make the interview accessible to you. For further information on this, please see Section 4 of our Interview Information Sheet.
**By ‘missing’ or ‘run away’, we mean leaving where you are living or staying, or any other place you are expected to be, without telling or being able to tell other people where you have gone and your whereabouts are unknown to others for any length of time. That could be anything from a few hours to several days, months or years. This typically involves someone being reported to the police as a missing person, but it can also include situations where the person was not reported missing. This might otherwise be described as ‘going away’, ‘disappearing,’ ‘going absent,’ ‘taking time out’ or something else, and you may not have thought of yourself as ‘missing’.
We have launched a regular email so that you can be aware of new missing person appeals and share them far and wide! We are also calling on all Heroes to be the eyes and ears for Missing People on the ground. Your sighting of a missing person could make a difference in a crucial time.
