More Than 1,000 Children Reported Missing In West Sussex Over Past Year

More than 1,000 children went missing in West Sussex between July 2024 and June 2025, councillors have been told.

Figures presented to a county council scrutiny committee this week revealed there were 4,047 reports of missing children involving 1,033 youngsters, many of whom disappeared more than once.

The council’s Missing Children’s Team, which works alongside Sussex Police and social care services, has been central to ensuring children’s safety.

The seven-strong team also carries out Return Home Interviews to better understand the reasons behind the disappearances and to put support in place.

Cabinet member for children, young people and learning, Jacquie Russell, said 15-year-olds were the most likely age group to go missing, while 17-year-olds were most likely to go missing repeatedly.

She added the gender split was almost equal, with slightly more boys than girls recorded.

Mrs Russell highlighted concerns that some families are reluctant to report children missing for fear of criminalisation. She said she was encouraged to hear the team was adopting a sensitive approach and helping families understand the importance of reporting.

Data showed children in Adur and Worthing were most likely to be reported missing, while those in Crawley were most likely to go missing more than once – thought to be linked to the number of children’s placements in the town made by other local authorities.

Rebecca Walsh, head of early help and children’s social care, said:

“Missing episodes are very much a symptom of what might be going on for a child.

"There can be lots of different reasons – it might mean things are tricky at home, relationships are difficult, or there are outside influences pulling them away.”

Committee members stressed the importance of preventative work, particularly for children in care, to address the root causes of why young people run away.