Support for professionals

SafeCall provides confidential, free support and guidance for young people across the UK who have left or are thinking of leaving home or their place of care – whatever their reason for leaving – with in-depth support for those experiencing criminal exploitation (available in England and Wales only).

We have a range of posters and leaflets available to provide to the young people you support. We also have a team of expert consultants who can work with you to help tackle local professional challenges when responding to missing children and their families.

SafeCall provides confidential, free support and guidance for young people who have left or are thinking of leaving home or their place of care, and those at risk of exploitation. We help young people throughout the UK to navigate times of crisis, as part of the charity Missing People.

At SafeCall, we aim to provide a safe space for young people to talk about their situation without judgment, allowing them to explore their options and needs.

Our team of experienced advisers are here to provide practical advice and information, including how to find a safe place to stay, access resources, and reconnect with family or carers.

We can also make referrals to other organisations and services that can provide specialised support, but always at young people’s discretion and consent.

The service is open every day, and young people can contact us by calling or texting our helpline on 116 000 or through our online chat service. The anonymous service is available every day during our key operating times:

• Call: 10am – 5pm
• SMS: 10am – 10pm
• Online chat: 5:30pm – 10pm

WhatsApp will be introduced as a contact channel later this year and a chatbot – to aid with 24/7 information and signposting – will launch later this Spring.

For over 30 years, Missing People has been a lifeline for children and young people impacted by a disappearance. In 2024, we began a co-production project with young people to ensure that what we offer and how we present it is as relevant as possible for young people at risk of missing and harm.

We recruited Young Advisors to join the project team and spoke to nearly 100 young people across the UK. The result of this work is SafeCall.

“I have done a lot of consultations and focus groups with young people, but this is the first time I fully feel confident and excited to go back to those young people and update them.”
– Leonita, Young Adviser

If you work with children and young people who are at risk, we would love you to help us reach them with our message of free, confidential support. You can do so by ordering our printed materials to share with young people, or contact us to find out how we can best partner with you and your organisation.

At Missing People, we have a team of expert consultants who can work with you to help tackle local professional challenges when responding to missing children and their families. Last year, we shared our expertise with over 4,000 multi-agency professionals across the UK through bespoke consultancy and training, conferences, multi-agency workshops and e-learning packages, grounded in the experiences of people who are affected by missing.

We work with police, local authority leads and front-line local authority practitioners, Health, Education, and the voluntary sector. Read more about our work with professionals here.