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Am I in trouble?


You may have been reported missing and know that the police are looking for you. This can feel quite scary but it doesn’t mean you are in trouble, and going missing or running away is not a crime. It might mean that someone is worried about you and has asked the police to look for you, to make sure you are safe.

Lots of people run away because they think they’re in trouble. You may be feeling really anxious and worried about going home. There may have been arguments at home or with other people in your care home. Maybe you think you’ve done something bad or broken the law in some way.

Runaway Helpline will never judge. You can talk to us about why you think you might be in trouble. Maybe it’s not as bad as you think. We can help you work things out by talking it through. You might decide to send a message home or ask us to help you talk to someone else about what’s happened, like a family member, carer or social worker.

Sometimes people need to talk to the police to ask them if they are in trouble with the law. We can help you do that, too.  But most importantly, we can talk through your options and help you decide what’s best for you to do next.

Are you thinking of running away because you have been affected by Am I in trouble??
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The Runaway Helpline can only provide services to children and young people within the United Kingdom, and information and advice on this site relates to the UK only.

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