Institute of Criminal Justice Studies
The Centre for the Study of Missing Persons: Useful Links
| Official websites | Charities and Helplines | Search and Rescue | International links |
Official websites
Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP)
The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre is part of UK law enforcement and as such can apply the full range of policing powers in tackling the sexual abuse of children. But the organisation is very different in its set up not least because of the high volume of specialists who work alongside police officers but also because of the faculty approach that underpins our structure.
UK Missing Persons Bureau
We are the UK national and international point of contact for all missing person and unidentified body cases. We are also the only UK agency focused exclusively on missing people.
UK Search and Rescue- Department of Transport
The Department provides leadership across the transport sector to achieve its objectives, working with regional, local and private sector partners to deliver many of the services. This section contains information on the Department's aims and objectives, its organisational structure, and the responsibilities of the various affiliated agencies.
Ministry of Justice
This site hosts links to a large number of organisations
Foreign and commonwealth Office - International parental child abduction
We understand the huge distress that parental child abduction and residence (custody) and contact (access) disputes overseas can cause to all those involved. Our Child Abduction Section assists British and dual British nationals affected by these issues.
Missing People- Government Directory
Find out what the police will do when you report someone as missing and what support is available. If you have gone missing, find out how to get back in contact with family and friends.
Missing Kids
The UK Missing Kids Website is a unique, state-of-the art tool designed to help the police recover missing and abducted children. It is a partnership between the Police, charities, and the private sector.
British Association for Human Identification
The primary aim of the Association is to encourage productive interchange between various disciplines in human identification, promote the academic integration of individual subjects and through the medium of a collective body, pursue standards of excellence and innovative developments. We provide a forum for discussion and promotion of subjects within the domain of human identification.
Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC)
The IPCC overseas the whole of the police complaints system and sets standards for the way that the police should deal with complaints. It is independent, making its decisions entirely independently of the police, government and complainants.
Charities and helplines
Missing People
We are an independent charity funded by donations. We are a lifeline when someone disappears. We search on behalf of those left behind and provide specialised support to ease their heartache and confusion.
Missing Abroad
Since the disappearance of Lucie Blackman in Japan in 2000, The Lucie Blackman Trust has assisted other families of missing relatives and has now established Missing Abroad to provide the unique expertise, practical help, advice and support gained by Lucie’s family.
Reunite International
Reunite International is a parent support network formed by parents all trying to navigate their way through the legal minefield of international parental child abduction. It is the leading UK charity specialising in international parental child abduction and the movement of children across international borders.
The Children’s Society
We are Christian charity committed to helping vulnerable and disadvantaged young people, including safeguarding children in care and young runaways. We give a voice to disabled children, help young refugees to rebuild their lives and provide relief for young carers.
Childoscope
The Childoscope Interactive Directory offers an overview of the existing European organisations working in the field of missing and/or sexually exploited children. It allows an efficient and targeted search for information about organisations, structures and procedures, according to specific categories or geographical scope.
Barnado’s
Barnardo’s transforms the lives of vulnerable children across the UK through the work of our projects, our campaigning and our research expertise.
Railway Children
Railway Children works with over 24 partner organisations with 117 projects worldwide across Africa, Asia, and the UK. Last year we helped 25,076 street children around the world. In addition, 38,246 children have been reached and supported where necessary through a prevention programme delivered in schools in the UK.
NSPCC
We are inspired by a belief that we can make a difference for all children – by standing up for their rights, by listening to them, by helping them when they need us and by making them safe.
Parents & Abducted Children Together (PACT)
Parents & Abducted Children Together (PACT) is a non-profit organisation registered in the UK and the US. We campaign, we research and we help make policy. For more than a decade, we have been fighting for a better and more coherent response to the growing problem of missing and abducted children at home and abroad.
Search and Rescue organisations
The Emergency Services Research Unit (ESRU)
The Emergency Services Research Unit (ESRU), in the Division of Psychology at Nottingham Trent University, not only conducts award winning research but also provides teaching, training, and consultancy for the emergency services and allied organisations.
The Royal Air Force Search and Rescue (SARF)
The Royal Air Force maintains a 24-hour search and rescue service covering the whole of the United Kingdom and a large surrounding area. Whilst the service exists primarily to assist military aircrew and other personnel in distress, the vast majority of ‘scrambles’ are to assist civilians who find themselves in difficulties, either on land or at sea.
Emergency Response Team Search and Rescue (ERTSAR)
Emergency Response Team Search and Rescue (ERTSAR) is a UK-based international Emergency and Disaster Response Search & Rescue non-government organisation. Established to relieve suffering and distress among persons affected by hazards, risks, emergencies and disasters in the United Kingdom and across the globe.
Mountain Rescue England and Wales
The Association of Lowland Search & Rescue (ALSAR)
ALSAR’s national role is to coordinate the national provision of Lowland Search & Rescue resources, set standards of competence for all involved in operational deployments, to represent and support our units and to help develop and shape Search & Rescue in the UK.
The National Search and Rescue Dog Association (NSARDA)
The National Search and Rescue Dog Association (NSARDA) is an umbrella organisation for Air Scenting Search Dogs in the UK, Isle of Man and Eire. It's members are the Search and Rescue Dog Associations that are located throughout the British Isles.
The Centre for Search Research
We are a UK registered charity carrying out research and training in areas relating to searching for lost and missing persons.
The Emergency Services Research Unit (ESRU)
The Emergency Services Research Unit (ESRU), in the Division of Psychology at NTU, not only conducts award winning research but also provides teaching, training, and consultancy for the emergency services and allied organisations.
International Links
Missing Children Europe
Missing Children Europe is the European Federation for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children. As an umbrella organisation, it represents 28 Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) active in 19 Member States of the European Union and Switzerland. Each of these organisations is active in cases of missing and/or sexually exploited children at grassroots level, including prevention and support for victims.
ICMEC
The International Centre of Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC) is leading a global movement to protect children from sexual exploitation and abduction.
NCMEC
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, (NCMEC), is a private, nonprofit organization aims to serve as the nation’s resource (USA) on the issues of missing and sexually exploited children. The organization provides information and resources to law enforcement, parents, children including child victims as well as other professionals.
FFMPU
The Families and Friends of Missing Persons Unit (FFMPU) is unique in Australia. It is the only unit that works with, and on behalf of, families and friends of missing persons. The FFMPU is funded by the NSW government and is part of the Department of Attorney General and Justice.
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a worldwide Christian church and registered charity, working in 124 countries, demonstrating Christian principles through practical support; offering unconditional friendship, and very practical help to people of all ages, backgrounds and needs.
Red Cross/ICRC
The ICRC, established in 1863, works worldwide to provide humanitarian help for people affected by conflict and armed violence and to promote the laws that protect victims of war.
UNICEF
For over 60 years UNICEF has been the world’s leading organisation for children, working to help them survive and thrive from early childhood through adolescence.
Child Helpline International (CHI)
Child Helpline International (CHI) is the global member network of child helplines, working to protect the rights of children. As of the end of 2010, CHI’s network consists of 147 members in 133 countries worldwide. As a network, CHI is able to strengthen its member child helplines by offering them a platform to communicate, network and share their expertise with other child helplines and policy-makers.
The International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP)
The International Commission on Missing Persons was established at the initiative of U.S. President Clinton in 1996 at the G-7 Summit in Lyon, France. Its primary role is to ensure the cooperation of governments in locating and identifying those who have disappeared during armed conflict or as a result of human rights violations.