Black missing children are being failed, report finds

The mother of a Black teenager has described how she was “treated like a pest” when she reported her son missing as a new report warns of systemic negligence around such cases.

- NADINE WHITE

After several months of regularly going missing, Jen says her 16-year-old son was discovered miles away from home in a house with adults and drugs. The youngster is understood to have been groomed by a gang.

These revelations come as a new report led by Listen Up, a national research organisation, with support from the charity Missing People, highlights insights from Black children who have previously gone missing, and their loved ones.

Black children are disproportionately likely to go missing, with 16 per cent of all missing children across England and Wales being Black, compared to their 4 per cent proportion of the general population.

The study reveals that Black children and young people are at increased risk of going missing and being undersupported across government and state agencies because of discrimination.

Their experiences of racism and indifference are one of many issues that drive them to go missing more often and to feel uncared for, the study, first seen by The Independent, highlights.

The report, entitled “Experiences of Black missing children and their parents”, recommends better media reporting around cases of missing Black people and better work by authorities to safeguard and support young people and their families.