Chapter 4 : Section 8

Locating Runaway Children

Procedures

Implementation

Upon notification that a child has runaway, ensure the out-of-home caregiver immediately makes a report to local law enforcement. Obtain the DR number of the law enforcement report. If the out-of-home caregiver is not aware the child ran away, immediately make a report to law enforcement and notify the caregiver of the child's disappearance. Immediately, and in no case later than 24 hours, contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) to add the missing or abducted child to their database. An online report may be made by visiting: https://cmfc.missingkids.org/reportit.

The DCS Specialist (or other staff as approved by the DCS Program Supervisor) shall immediately contact the following, either telephonically or in writing, to provide notice of the child’s disappearance from care and to obtain information about the child’s disappearance, unless the primary investigative agency has determined that contact would be detrimental to the investigation or locate efforts:

• the child’s parents;

• the child’s known relatives;

• any other significant person that may have information on the whereabouts of the child;

• the child’s attorney and/or guardian ad litem;

• the child’s out-of-home caregiver;

• the child’s court appointed special advocate (CASA);

• a judicial officer in any judicial matter involving the child; and

• if applicable, the child’s tribe.

Any information gathered should be provided to law enforcement. The Department will coordinate with the local law enforcement agency to retrieve the child.

The DCS Specialist (or other staff as approved by the DCS Program Supervisor) completes the following:

• Make a home visit to attempt contact with any identified parent, relative, or other significant person the child may have contacted.

• Contact the duty Assistant Attorney General within 24 hours of the child's disappearance and initiate a motion for an order to pick up the child. A pick-up order is still required in situations where a warrant has already been or may be issued.

• Contact the child's school and obtain any pertinent information regarding the child's disappearance.

• Attempt to contact the child's friends.

• Contact any prior caregivers the child may have contacted and determine if they have any current information about the child.

• Contact law enforcement for updates and to provide any required information.

Provide the following information to law enforcement and NCMEC when available:

• Photo of the youth;

• Description of the youth's physical appearance; such as height, weight, sex, ethnicity, race, hair color, eye color, and other identifying characteristics; and

• Information that a youth may be at an increased risk including: pregnancy status, prescription medications, mental health conditions, suicidal ideations, vulnerability to being sex trafficked, and any other health or risk factors.

With approval of the DCS Program Supervisor, submit a Request to Locate At-Risk Runaway Child to OCWI for assistance in locating a runaway child when one or more of the following circumstances exist:

• The child is suicidal.

• The child has been diagnosed with a serious mental illness, is prescribed medication for the mental illness and may pose a danger to self and/or others if not receiving treatment and medication as prescribed.

• The child suffers from a serious physical illness and is prescribed medication, which if not available or administered properly, could place the child at risk of serious physical harm.

• The child is pregnant.

• Other specific child safety concerns exist (i.e., child 13 or younger, child is with a known perpetrator of abuse or neglect, child is significantly developmentally delayed, etc.).

• The child is known to be, or is at risk of becoming, a victim of sex trafficking. Risk factors include but are not limited to: substance abuse, gang affiliation, delinquency, previous victimization.

Email the pick-up order and/or warrant along with the completed Request to Locate At-Risk Runaway Child to OCWI.

If the child remains on missing or runaway status for seven days, terminate all service requests. Do not end date the removal.

If the child remains on runaway status and is not able to be located for a period of 90 days or longer, the DCS Specialist (or other staff as approved by the DCS Program Supervisor) must complete the following every 90 days:

• Re-contact the child's previous out-of-home care providers to obtain any pertinent information in locating the child.

• Re-contact the child's previous school (if enrolled prior to running away) and obtain any pertinent information for locating the child.

• Re-contact the child's parents, guardians or custodians, known relatives and other significant persons to obtain any pertinent information for locating the child.

• Re-contact law enforcement and NCMEC to obtain or provide updated information for locating the child.

• Re-visit the home of any identified parent, relative, or other significant person the child may have contacted or other locations the child is known to have visited and is likely to be found.

If the child remains on missing or runaway status for two or more years, the Department shall contact the NCMEC case manager to confirm that an age-progression image has been developed for the child.

If a position to dismiss the Dependency Petition is being taken by a party to the case, consult with the assigned Assistant Attorney General.

The Department shall not agree to the dismissal of the dependency petition if:

• the child is suicidal;

• the child has been diagnosed with a serious mental illness, is prescribed medication for the mental illness, and may pose a danger to self and/or others if not receiving treatment and medication as prescribed;

• the child suffers from a serious physical illness and is prescribed medication, which if not available or administered properly, could place the child at risk of serious physical harm;

• the child is pregnant;

• the child is known to be, or is at risk of becoming, a victim of sex trafficking; or

• other specific child safety concerns exist (e.g. child of a young age, child is with a known perpetrator of abuse or neglect, child is significantly developmentally delayed, etc.).

Runaway Child is Located and Returns to Out-of-Home Care

Once a runway child has been located and is returning to out-of-home care, complete the following:

• Make a face-to-face contact with the child within 24 hours and determine the need for additional services.

• Obtain a medical exam for the child.

• Notify the appropriate local law enforcement agency and OCWI that the child has returned.

• Assess contributing factors to running away.

• Assess the child’s experiences while absent from care, including screening to determine if the child is a sex trafficking victim. Report to the appropriate law enforcement agency if it is determined the child was a sex trafficking victim, within 24 hours.

• Assess the appropriateness of the child returning to the same out-of-home placement and terminate the placement service authorization if a decision is made that the child will not return to the same out-of-home care provider.

• Contact the duty Assistant Attorney General and initiate a motion to vacate the pick-up order once the child has returned to out-of-home care.

• Notify NCMEC’s assigned Case Manager. If the assigned Case Manager is unknown, call NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST to obtain name and contact information for the assigned case manager.

Documentation

Document in the Missing Person Details Tab information regarding the report to law enforcement including the date the youth went missing, the name of the law enforcement agency, the date of the report, the report number, and the name and phone number of the law enforcement point of contact.

Document ongoing communication with law enforcement, including information provided and received.

Document in Notes notification of all parties, specific attempts to locate the child and information obtained from each party that was contacted within ten (10) days.

End service authorizations by updating the Service Requests Tab with End Date and termination reason after seven days for a child on runaway status, unless an earlier decision was made that the child will not return to the same provider. If this decision was made, terminate the service request as of the date of the decision.

Submit a new service request to document the status of the child as Runaway. End date the service request when the child is found.

Update the Services/Placement Tab with the child's current (runaway) status and end date this status when the child returns.

File a copy of the Request to Locate At-Risk Runaway Child form in the hard copy case record.

After the child returns to out-of-home care, document in Notes the factors that contributed to the child running away and the experiences of the child during the runaway episode. Document that a screening was completed to determine if the child is a possible sex trafficking victim.

Effective Date: October 30, 2023

Revision History: November 30, 2012, September 13, 2013, February 4, 2015, July 7, 2018, August 6, 2016, June 24, 2019, February 1, 2021, January 11, 2022, May 9, 2023