Why are there so many ‘missing’ teens?

[Wildflowers99]

I put missing in inverted commas as thankfully they all seem to turn up safely.

But I feel like every time I log into Facebook there’s another appeal for a vulnerable teenager who has gone missing in the local area. I don’t recall seeing this many appeals even a few years ago.

Is this happening in your area?

There were always posters up and appeals on local radio for missing teens when I was a child, in the 1980s. I don't think young people going missing is anything new, it's probably just that social media is bringing more of them to your attention.

It's social media. Teenagers go missing, formerly you'd never have known, but now it's there in your face.

Yes constantly on my facebook feed too.

Most of them aren't missing in the traditional sense. A lot are from homes etc who just don't go back at night. We have so many regulars reported and you see the comments on FB people concerned, praying for their safe return etc. Although more recently the comments are 'oh not her again'

Meanwhile the so called missing person is out causing chaos somewhere or as we see more and more responding on the FB posts mocking responses. Once they're fed up they phone 999 and say I'm a missing person & the police have to get them and ferry them home. They totally play the system

Thankfully actually genuine missing teenagers are few and far between

Apparently there's a game on TikTok/FB where you have to go missing and the one that’s missing the longest wins. There’s at least one child a day missing on my local FB and people are saying it's because of this game.

I'm very cautious about sharing missing photos, in case of stalking etc. I'll share police appeal ones but home -made ones be wary of.

Probably something to do with the shocking levels of support available to teens with mental health issues.

They are young people who move around in groups, often like to use the public transport systems at night and in some cases are under a curfew or in care, therefore each time they aren't where they are meant to be, they have to be reported as 'missing' . In my area, there are even known 'houses' where the adult encourages vulnerable young people to congregate. Social media means that their 'missing" is widely publicised and it turns into a game.

Yup same kid keeps going missing over and over where we are. Thankfully not for a few months now.

I honestly don’t recall my town having a new round of ‘missing’ posters up every day or even every week?

Until recently, a family member of mine was head of missing persons for a big metropolitan area police force. They said that most of the time, the child isn't 'missing', they're just not where they're supposed to be.

A large proportion of these children are in the care system, and many have been exploited by county lines gangs. So when you see that they have links to (for example) London, Milton Keynes, Peterborough, that's why.
Or they're with a parent who has taken them from their care setting without permission.

Almost all of these children are vulnerable and have been victims of some sort of trauma or abuse. It's desperately sad.

They didn’t used to see the child as a vulnerable missing person, but as a trouble maker, runaway.

Only recently have they really recognised the children are vulnerable rather than naughty.

Usually they are children in care. LAs will ask the police to share details on social media if the child doesn’t come home or hasn’t gone to known associates.

There wouldn't have been posters though for a teen that doesn't come back at night but is found the next morning or earlier. That would have taken too long (and they would turn up before the print run had finished). The police would still be treating them as a missing person- and returning them when found.

Social media means the message gets out more quickly and cheaply.

My adopted teen (multiple complexities, multiple disabilities, all related to her in utero and early years experiences) regularly goes missing. She went missing again yesterday. Except she wasn't missing as I knew exactly where she would go and what she would be doing. Children's social care made me phone the police. They sent two officers out to look for her and a third came and interviewed me at home for about 90 minutes. She was where I said she would be. The police were apparently trying to get access to the public CCTV. They were delayed by GDPR. She was missing but not missing. She leaves our home and goes AWOL because she doesn't like rules and can't cope with very basic 'demands' like 'please put your two weeks of dirty socks in the wash basket'.

Not just missing teens op, missing people.

This.

In the past it would take until late evening to even realise they were missing, then even if reported to police there wouldn't be neighbourhood wide awareness for at least a few days, by which time most are already home.
Now parents can tell within a couple of hours that they're not replying to messages, school always notify parents if the teenager skips school, and parents can then instantly post online to thousands of people.

I often see missing teens on my Facebook and it’s usually kids that are known for misbehaving and causing trouble. They end up at a mates or in town, make everyone worry and end up back the next day. Mum thanks everyone for the shares and support and then the following week they’re ‘missing’ again!
And for the love of god parents please if your child goes missing use a photo that your child can be recognised from not one that has a Snapchat filter on leaving the child unrecognisable!! 🤦‍♀️

Years ago photos of missing children were always school photos. Now, as you say, they are all pouty with loads of make up and filters and unrecognisable.

Why couldn't you just to to where she went to? That sounds such a worrying process to wait during not knowing for certain where she was.
Is there any way of locking doors and windows until she is calm again before making any requests if it's demand avoidance which is generally the cause?

Abuse, neglect, drugs, poverty ....

If you’re seeing them on social media, my guess is your algorithms have something to do with it. You paused to look at one, so you get another. You hovered over that one thinking how odd you see them so often, so you get even more in the future.

These are good points. Often the schools don't even have to notify us now - the school apps notify us automatically if they miss registration.

My son is a policeman be says simlar. It can be that the child not returned to the care home and is out beyond curview. So are reported missing due to being vunerble.