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<p>The Home Office takes the wellbeing, welfare and security of children and minors
in our care extremely seriously. Robust safeguarding procedures are in place to ensure
all children and minors are safe and supported as we seek urgent placements with local
authorities.</p><p> </p><p><del class="ministerial">This information is not held centrally
but is held by the encountering police forces. When a young person who has previously
gone missing from a hotel housing unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) is
encountered or located we engage with statutory partners, including the police who
will identify whether there are any concerns regarding possible trafficking; exploitation
or other potential criminal activities that may require investigation.</del></p><p><ins
class="ministerial">All cases of missing children remain open, with police forces
completing investigations and following any new evidence.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">
</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">When any young person goes missing the 'missing
persons protocol' is followed and led by our directly engaged social workers. A multi-agency,
missing persons protocol is mobilised involving the police and the local authority,
who have a shared statutory responsibility to safeguard all children, including missing
migrant children, in order to establish their whereabouts and to ensure that they
are safe.</ins></p>
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