Missing People today announces the launch of SafeCall, a new free and confidential support service designed to keep children and young people safe before harm escalates. SafeCall is available to children and young people up to the age of 25 who are at risk of going missing, being exploited, or who feel unsafe and unsure where to turn.
With 12–17-year-olds accounting for 60% of all missing episodes each year, SafeCall has been designed by young people, for young people. More than 80 young people with lived experience shaped its development through consultation and advisory roles. Their insight has ensured SafeCall is accessible, trusted and rooted in the realities young people face.
The scale of the crisis is stark. A child is reported missing every 2.5 minutes in the UK – around 210,000 incidents each year, or 575 every day. These disappearances affect far more than the child alone, impacting more than 430,000 people annually, including families and friends. On average, one missing child dies every week, with 48 child deaths recorded in 2023–24.
Missing People currently reaches around one in four children reported missing – approximately 20,000 young people a year- but thousands more are never reached. SafeCall has been created to change that.
SafeCall provides a safe, non-judgemental space where young people can talk openly about what’s happening in their lives. Specially trained advisers offer practical advice and support -from finding a safe place to stay and accessing local help, to reconnecting with family or carers. Where appropriate, SafeCall can also make referrals to specialist services, always with the young person’s consent and control.
Young people can access SafeCall every day via the free helpline 116 000, even without phone credit, or through online chat. The service is designed to meet young people where they are -emotionally and digitally – removing barriers to asking for help at critical moments. Later this year, SafeCall will expand to include WhatsApp support and a chatbot, widening access even further.
SafeCall is designed to support any young person who feels vulnerable, unsafe or at risk of going missing, whatever the reason. This includes experiences such as exploitation, family conflict, housing insecurity, mental health concerns, or situations that simply don’t feel right. By offering help at the earliest possible moment, SafeCall helps young people make safer choices and find protection before harm escalates, acting as a trusted adult.
The launch of SafeCall has been made possible thanks to the generous support of The Independent, whose campaign has raised vital funds and awareness for this life-saving service. Missing People also thanks Lippincott and Wildish for their expertise in shaping SafeCall’s identity and accessibility, and the young advisers whose lived experience ensured the service is truly led by young people. Additional support from Players of People’s Postcode Lottery, BBC Children in Need, and St James’s Place Foundation has enabled vital research, testing and trials.
Victoria Zabci, Head of Marketing at Missing People said: “SafeCall has been shaped by participation every step of the way – from sessions across the UK with young people with lived experience, to working closely with our Young Advisors and Services colleagues who support young people every day. Bringing these voices together has helped create a service that is grounded in real needs and real lives. We’re incredibly proud of what’s been built, and of the collective effort behind it. SafeCall shows what’s possible when charities and young people come together to create something that will have a lasting impact.”
The service has also been backed by Sir Keir Starmer, who hailed the campaign, saying: “Every child deserves safety and support, which is why this initiative, designed by young people with young people in mind, is so important. I commend all those working to make this service a reality and urge those who can to consider supporting this cause.”
Paul Joseph, Head of Helplines and Reconnections at Missing People, said: “SafeCall is first and foremost about safety. It exists to support young people at moments when things feel uncertain, overwhelming or unsafe, and to help them find a way forward before problems escalate. SafeCall offers a trusted space where young people can talk openly, ask questions and be taken seriously, without fear or judgement. When choices feel confusing and support feels out of reach, SafeCall provides reassurance, practical help and a clear route to safety.”
The SafeCall support service is now live, with young people already able to access core support. As the service grows, Missing People hopes SafeCall will enable the charity to reach more young people than ever before -ensuring fewer children go missing or come to harm while away.
