Missing from Home – Advanced (Zoom)

New Missing from Placement Course - Enhanced Spring 2026 - Currently only delivered by our lead trainer, Scott Henery

This course description integrates the 2026 UK Fostering Reforms, emphasising the shift toward a Risk-Sensible (rather than risk-averse) culture. It focuses on maintaining placement stability and protecting carers' livelihoods through the new statutory protections regarding allegations and financial support.

When a child goes missing, the system's response can either stabilise the situation or inadvertently trigger a placement breakdown. This course provides a modern, evidence-based approach to managing "Missing from Home and Care" incidents, aligned with the 2026 National Minimum Standards and the Working Together to Safeguard Children (2026) update.

Learning Aims:

1. The Risk-Sensible Paradigm Shift Defining the "New Normal": Moving away from "blanket reporting" toward a tiered risk assessment that allows children to experience age-appropriate freedom.
2. Professional Curiosity vs Intrusion: Learning how to monitor whereabouts without "pathologising" normal teenage behaviour, as per the 2026 "Normalcy" guidelines.
3. The Psychology of Running: Understanding the "push and pull" factors of why children leave away from care vs running to something (exploitation, family, or autonomy).
4. The "Standard of Care" vs. "Allegation" Distinction: Navigating the new legal requirement to separate minor parenting concerns from formal safeguarding allegations.
5. Financial & Professional Protection: Briefing on the 2026 reform ensuring foster carers continue to receive fees during missing-related investigations.
6. The Role of the Designated Person: Understanding the new weekly update requirements and the right to access logs and journals during an inquiry.
7. The "Golden Hour" Protocol: Immediate actions for staff and carers to take before the police are involved.
8. Police Multi-Agency Hubs: Utilising the new 2025 "Missing Child Discussion Forms" to streamline communication with the Missing Persons Unit.
9. Safe Return & The Independent Interview: How to use return interviews as a clinical tool to map "extra-familial" risks like County Lines or grooming.

Why Attend This Enhanced Course?

The 2026 reforms aim to retain foster carers and decrease the criminalisation of children in care. This training is vital for any professional seeking to understand the new legal protections, which guarantee that a "missing" incident does not automatically trigger an investigation or result in a loss of income.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Draft Risk-Sensible Placement Plans that balance safety with the child's right to a normal social life.
• Execute Statutory Duties under the 2026 reforms, ensuring all documentation protects the carer while prioritising child safety.
• Combat "Placement Fragility" by understanding how to manage the high-stress period following a missing episode without resorting to immediate notice-giving

"In 2026, our goal is to move from 'policing' children to 'protecting' them. Safety is built through relationships, not just reports."

Whose this course for: This course is for school educators, foster carers, and adopters, as well as their supervising social workers. It is also suitable for Residential Child Care Workers (RCCWs) and residential team managers from mainstream, short-breaks, and outreach services.

Format: This is a live training session through the platform "Zoom". It includes taught sections, small-group work, pair work, and whole-group discussions.

Hand-outs & Certificates: Downloadable course notes and certificates of attendance are provided.