Every year, thousands of vulnerable young people are struggling to be seen, heard and protected. They feel invisible – at risk of harm, exploitation and homelessness.
A child is reported missing in the UK every two and a half minutes. Teenagers are the most likely to disappear, with those aged 12 to 17 accounting for 61 per cent of all incidents recorded by police. Many say there is still no service designed to meet their needs, leaving them isolated at the very moment they need help most.
That is why The Independent is joining forces with Missing People, the UK’s only charity dedicated to reconnecting missing people with their loved ones, to launch a new service that will be a lifeline for children in crisis. Co-designed and piloted by young people themselves, SafeCall will offer the support, safety and connection they need.
The Independent’s goal is to raise £165,000 to help fund this new, free service, so that the 70,000 children reported missing each year can find safety, no matter what. The charity currently reaches one in four of those children – and, with your support, SafeCall will reach many more.
Donate here or text SAFE to 70577 to give £10 to Missing People – enough for one child to get help.
Actor, writer and broadcaster Sir Stephen Fry and campaigner Dame Esther Rantzen, the founder of Childline, are among the leading voices backing The Independent’s appeal and urging readers to support the cause.
Among those who know its value at first hand is Jade Knight, now 23, who went missing more than 50 times as a child after, in her words, “feeling lost in the world”. She credits Missing People with having “saved my life”.
“There were a lot of times when speaking to the Missing People charity actually helped me go back,” she said. “They would make me feel safe enough and have given me the space to talk about what I needed to speak about.”
She believes SafeCall will be life-changing for young people who need help. “This is a problem that we need to resolve now, because every time these children go missing, it doesn’t matter if it’s the first or the fiftieth – they are at just as much risk every single time.”
SafeCall will ensure missing children can reach out in the way that feels safest to them, with anonymity guaranteed and tailored support available at any hour. The new service will expand Missing People’s reach through a dedicated helpline, a WhatsApp channel, a 24-hour chatbot and a redesigned website offering advice written for young people.
Launching and running SafeCall for a year is expected to cost £625,000. Just £10 can help a missing child find somewhere safe to go; £30 can provide overnight advice and guidance; and £100 can fund a helpline shift, ensuring trained staff are there whenever a young person needs to make contact.
Ms Knight now works as an ambassador for Missing People and is determined to help prevent others from going through what she did.
In a direct message to young people, she said: “For anyone who feels like they want to disappear, please know that there is support out there for you. Just because you feel this way now doesn’t mean you will feel this way forever. Things can change, and you have that power.
“And who knows, in six months’ time you could be where I am – telling your story of hope and helping others who can’t yet find their way.”
The campaign is not only about launching a new service but about raising awareness – sparking debate and pushing for change on an issue that remains widespread yet underprioritised.
Nerissa Tivy’s son, Alexander Sloley, went missing in August 2008 when he was just 16. Alex, who would now be 34, disappeared from a friend’s house in Islington, north London, with no wallet, spare clothes or money.
“It weighs heavily,” Ms Tivy told The Independent. “It’s not something that ever leaves. It’s there all the time. Every day is difficult. There is no particular day. At one point, I had so much stress that I was constantly in pain. I’ve learnt that if you’ve got stress, your body harbours it.”
Every day, around 900 people are reported missing in the UK, almost 600 of them children. According to the latest figures from the National Crime Agency, 160,000 people were reported missing in nearly 330,000 incidents during 2023–24. Of these, 72,000 were children who disappeared in almost 210,000 separate episodes, showing how often young people go missing more than once.
More than 430,000 people are affected each year by the disappearance of a child, and on average, one missing child dies every week.
Dame Esther said: “So many young people who suffer exploitation don’t feel they can ask for help and be listened to, at a time when they are scared, alone and vulnerable. This new service means at last there is a way to enable them to seek help with confidence and hope. Going missing is a crisis – a crucial moment to intervene and help, on young people’s terms.”
Sir Stephen, a patron of Missing People, said: “Together, we’ll be raising vital funds to build and launch a cutting-edge service for our times. SafeCall will be designed by young people so that it’s truly informed by their needs. Please join me in supporting this important campaign.”
Jo Youle, chief executive of Missing People, said: “Children facing harm or exploitation often feel invisible. SafeCall will be shaped by their voices – offering a safe, confidential space where they’re heard, supported and protected. Built on over 30 years of experience, this new service is designed by young people for the challenges they face today. Together, we’re building a legacy of care, protection and hope. Together, we will change young lives.”
Geordie Greig, editor-in-chief of The Independent, said: “I am so proud to launch this campaign with Missing People. With the help of our readers and supporters, we can make a real difference in tackling the crisis of missing children in this country.”
This year’s Christmas campaign from The Independent follows the staggering success of 2024’s Brick By Brick partnership with Refuge, which raised more than £585,000 for women and children fleeing domestic abuse, funding two new safe houses for them.