You might have run away from home to get away from family, carers, or other people who live there. We understand that in this situation you might be worried about them finding you. We can help you talk through why you’re worried about them finding you and advise you on what you might be able to do depending on the situation.

If you think you’re in trouble with someone – maybe you owe them money, or people have threatened you – we can understand why you might feel scared. If you want to talk about how this is making you feel and how to keep safe, we are here.

If you do run away and are reported missing to the police, they will look for you and want to check that you are ok. You won’t be in trouble; they just want to see you and make sure you are safe. If you feel worried that they are going to make you go back to a place where you don’t feel safe, it is important that you try to let them know.

If you are over 18 you have the right to go missing. This means that the police are not allowed to tell any family members who might be looking for you where you are. If you have been reported as missing to the police by your family, the police will look for you to make sure that you are safe and they will continue to look for you until they have seen you and can make sure that you are ok.

If you don’t want your family to know where you are, you can tell the police this and they are required by law to keep this information confidential.