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There has been a quiet confidence within the corridors of the Plymouth Police and Plymouth Drugs and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT) of the likely success of their newly emerging Missing Children and Young Persons Service. However, the project managers of Sergeant Clive Collier and the Drug and Alcohol Team’s Keith Napthine would never have dared suggest the level of success the team has actual achieved, demonstrated in the figures released this month. In the targeted areas of Barne Barton, North Prospect and Stonehouse the number of police missing children reports recorded between the January, February and March period has more than halved compared with the previous 3 months, while the remaining areas have increased significantly. Funding was secured from the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, with significant support from the multi-agency Plymouth Community Safely Partnership. The team consists of two police officers, a social worker, an education welfare officer, two drugs and alcohol workers and an officer manager. The project was possible through a successful bid by the police and the DAAT to the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund and focuses on supporting young people once they return home. Readers may be aware that there is currently a great deal of national activity relating to the dangers associated with children and young people who runaway or go missing from their home. Disturbing figures of 100,000 children nationally running away overnight, many unprepared or in high risk circumstances were highlighted in work undertaken by the charity, The Children’s Society. Sergeant Collier commented, “When the Youth Affairs officers moved out of school work the police looked to do more targeted work. I was alarmed to learn that persistent young runaways are seven more times likely to commit crime than those who do not, and that in as many as 40% of cases young people’s careers in crime begin when they are reported missing”. Keith Napthine who developed a similar project in North London and was a national advisor for missing children added, “Occasional runaways are five times likely to engage in illegal drugs while persistent runaways are ten times more likely. There are similar percentages engaging in problematic use of alcohol”. These figures have been known since 2002, and it has also been known that similar statistics are related to truancy, physical abuse and personal relationships. What came about as a result of the police research in Plymouth was the high number of missing children reports being received by local police, 1323 in 2005/06 and 1668 in 2006/07. Sue Walsh a qualified Social Worker working with the team, seconded by Hamoaze House commented, “ This team has had amazing success because we come from different agencies but work together”. One of her colleagues on the team, police officer Paul Andrews said, “The joint working with other agencies has been great, I cannot praise enough the way in which children’s social workers and education workers have worked with us to help children and their families. Forget about the statistics we have prevented 45 children from going missing this last quarter alone, just think what we could achieve if we worked across the city”. Acting Chief Superintendent Elaine Marshall who sponsored the project commented, “It is imperative that the police and other agencies explore all opportunities to safeguard young people and prevent them from engaging in crime at a young age. These early figures look most encouraging”. Bronwen Lacey, Director of Children's Services, said: "It's great to see agencies working together for the benefit of children and young people in the city. The future of children's services lies in joint working, like the Runaways Team, because we know that the focussed efforts of a range of professionals is the most effective way to help change a child's life when they begin to get into trouble. Early intervention ensures young people get the best possible chances at becoming a productive members of our society."
Martin Houghton-Brown of the Children Society who has monitored progress of the project commented “Projects like the Plymouth initiative are invaluable in informing our work on advising the government and politicians of the large numbers of young people who go missing in high risk situations, many with sad and life threatening results. Plymouth is one of six projects we are monitoring nationally to assist us in securing a national strategy from government for young runaways “
Editorial Notes - Plymouth Profile
Made up of 43 Neighbourhoods
Three are NRF - Barne Barton, North Prospect and Stonehouse
The project debriefs young people on their return home and works with families and young people to reduce further running episodes or makes referrals to other agencies. The project also provides valuable information to assist in locating young people who run away or to safe guard children in other ways ie child protection, drug treatment.
Prior to the project going live, from the 2005/06 baseline the first 3 quarters of 2006/07 showed a 27.18% growth across the City. The project was live for the duration of the fourth quarter of 2006/07 and recorded the following reduction in the NRF areas while still showing the 27.18% growth aggregate for the remaining areas:
Barne Barton Qtr 3 - 26, Qtr 4 - 9 North Prospect Qtr 3 - 29, Qtr 4 - 16
Stonehouse Qtr 3 - 28, Qtr 4 - 13 Aggregate reduction for the 2006/07 year, 38.5% decrease against the citywide trend of 27.18% growth for the remaining neighborhoods.
In cost terms a saving in police time of over £70,000 in the quarter for the NRF areas alone, with a potential saving of £300,000 for the quarter had the service been city wide. There will be other savings for children’s service, teenage pregnancy, drugs and alcohol services and savings to potential victims of crime and anti-social behaviour, which have not been factored in.
Next steps
With the consent of the NRF sponsors the team will continue to target the NRF areas but having increased capacity due to the team reducing running behaviour, will target the two highest neighbourhoods on the deprivation index with the highest recorded running away activity. Targets:
1. Maintain the reduction in the targeted nrf areas
2. Replicate the reduction in the two non-nrf targeted areas.
Contacts Clive Collier 01752 720579
Keith Napthine 01752 315773
Young Runaways Officer Manager 01752 306828 Private Members Bill The Protection of Young Runaways and Missing Children’s Bill gets it’s second reading on Friday 18th May, 2007 and the Plymouth Project contributed to the national agenda
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