Plymouth Young Runaways Team

Mission:

To advise and support  children, families and carers affected by episodes of going missing or running away  and to facilitate a reduction in further episodes by offering  support and guidance.

Who we are:

We are a  Young Runaways Team that recognises the impact of missing and running away episodes on individuals and families and aims to co-ordinate services and resources to support and empower those affected.  We are a multi agency Team made up of police officers, youth inclusion officers, drug and alcohol workers, education welfare and social workers and each member brings with them to the Team a diverse range of skills and abilities and access to varying resources.  It is this unique combination of skills and varying backgrounds which adds to the teams ability to provide services and support to children and families affected by either a missing child or running away episode.

What We Do:

Once a young person has been found and returned home, the Team  then carry out a debrief visit to the family home during which an assessment is made and the young person and their family have plenty of opportunity to discuss any issues/problems or difficulties they are experiencing either individually or as a family.  Young people commonly run away if they feel no-one is listening to them or there are problems at home or with their parents that they cannot resolve alone. If appropriate and where possible support/advice or guidance is then given which may include referrals on to other agencies which might be better placed to help the family.   Support can be on-going or of a short duration depending on each individual family’s needs.