Missing children safe return scheme launched

Children in Sunderland who regularly go missing will be given support, police said

A new scheme to try to reduce the number of children going missing has been launched.

Northumbria Police said its Safe Return campaign in Sunderland was working with organisations to try to identify children who go missing on a regular basis.

Staff will visit homes and devise "bespoke plans" of intervention, including substance education and behaviour assessments.

A pilot of the scheme in another police force produced "positive results", the Northumbria force said.

The programme is being funded by the Violence Reduction Unit, which is within the office of the Police and Crime Commissioner Susan Dungworth.

Two members of staff, employed by the charity Waythrough, will assess children who have left home on one to three occasions.

They will visit them and devise prevention plans to stop them being at risk of harm.

Northamptonshire Police, which ran a pilot of the scheme, said that of 263 children involved, only 8% went missing again.