National Missing Persons Framework for Scotland 2025

Good Practise and Actions

This Framework sets out key actions to help prevent, locate and safeguard people who have gone missing. To continue to enhance missing practice across Scotland and working with Police Scotland, relevant agencies in local authority areas should develop and establish local multi-agency partnerships with a remit for missing, focused on safeguarding children and adults.

Each multi-agency partnership should develop and implement a local missing protocol which includes:

• Information sharing pathways to safeguard, support and promote children and adults’ safety and wellbeing.
• Standardised approach to risk assessment based on the terminology of ‘low, medium and high’ levels of risk.
• The definition of a Missing Person.
• Agency responsibility for providing return discussions for children and adults.
• Relevant referral pathways which practitioners can use following a return discussion to support an individual and prevent repeat missing episodes.
• Implementation of the Herbert, Philomena and Not at Home protocols.

The Scottish Government will:

• Introduce guidance for Judicial factors following the enactment of the Judicial Factors (Scotland) Act 2025.
• Raise awareness of missing, the scale of the issue and the risks associated with going missing.
• Include missing within policy work that are relevant factors in people going missing in Scotland.
• Work with the Working Group for Missing People to oversee the Framework Implementation Project and Framework progress.
• Fund the Framework Implementation Project to work collaboratively with agencies in local authority areas to:
• Provide support to establish missing multi-agency partnerships.
• Develop local missing protocols and oversight.
• Build and enhance good practice.
• Provide and deliver return discussion training.