Day 1849: 25 May 2012 Friday. Madeleine Beth McCann , International Missing Children’s Day

Day 1849: 25 May 2012 Friday. Madeleine Beth McCann  

 

Updates  
 

Friday, 25th May, is International Missing Children’s Day (IMCD)– a day to remember the many thousands of children who go missing every year from all around the world.

 

We hope that this date will become ingrained in people’s minds as we work together to tackle this vast and devastating problem.

 

This year in the UK, IMCD has been marked by the launch of two highly valuable initiatives:

 

 

 1. The charity ‘Missing People’  (www.missingpeople.org.uk) have launched a new single telephone number, 116 000, as the number to call for advice, help and support if you, or your loved one go missing. It is free, available 24 hours a day and confidential.  

 

(NB: To report a missing child, call 999)

 

2. The ‘Child Exploitation and Online Protection’ centre (CEOP; www.ceop.police.uk ) in association with 'Parents & Abducted Children together’ (PACT; www.pact-online.org ) have launched a brand new version of the MissingKids website, www.missingkids.co.uk . This website includes information and appeals about the many missing children, in or from the UK, and enables law enforcement agencies to disseminate data and photographs of these children worldwide. The website is an important tool for finding missing children and reuniting them with their families.

 

Our appeal to you:

 

Every year in the UK alone, more than a quarter of a million people are reported missing. An estimated 140,000 are children. Behind every missing child or adult case is a family suffering immensely through heartache and confusion.

 

 Please remember the new number, 116 000. Store it in your mobile phone and pass it on to others. One day, you might just need it, and then it will be a lifeline.

 

Visit www.missingkids.co.uk  and circulate the web address to your contacts. Please spend ten minutes looking through the different pictures of missing children on the website. It has been estimated that one missing child in seven (1 in 7!) is found because a member of the general public has recognised them after seeing their photograph. Every one of us can make a difference.

 

And finally, thank you to the Government, the charities and organisations, the businesses and the general public for helping to raise awareness, providing critical resources and for joining the search. Let’s keep it going!

Kate