Families of missing people are offered more support

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15627201

Families of missing people are offered more support


Leaflets containing information for UK families of those who go missing are being published following criticism by the mother of Madeleine McCann.

In the summer the first Parliamentary inquiry into the issue was told by Kate McCann there was a "complete gap" in help for those affected.

The National Policing Improvement Agency has responded by publishing factsheets giving practical advice.

They can be downloaded from the NPIA's website.http://www.npia.police.uk/en/10236.htm

The factsheets are also expected to be made available at police stations up and down the country.

Joe Apps, manager of the NPIA's Missing Persons Bureau, said: "Family members suffer great distress when someone goes missing and often they don't know where to turn or what to do.

"These factsheets aim to help them in the same way that victims of crime get practical advice and information."

In June, Kate McCann, whose daughter vanished in Portugal in 2007, told MPs it should not be down to "grieving parents" to search for their children.

She said grief was compounded by a "lack of communication and information" and called for a single point of contact between families and the police.

The 11 factsheets produced by the Missing Persons Bureau explain:

what to do when someone goes missing, whether it is in the UK or abroad
which charities and organisations to contact to help find a missing person
what support and advice is available to relatives
how to deal with financial, legal and property issues arising when someone is missing for a long time.

Mr Apps said the need for the leaflets was highlighted during the inquiry by the all-party Parliamentary group for runaway and missing children and adults.

All police officers and civilian staff dealing with missing persons investigations have been encouraged to read them and recommend them to families.

I'm absolutely 100% behind a push for families to be given far more help when a child goes missing.

I'm also in favour of lobbying parliament for more stringent measures to be taken against child neglect! The McCanns are a prime example of how not to treat three children under four year's of age.... Fact sheets on the dangers of leaving your children to fend for themselves please "made available at police stations up and down the country!"

Can we assume the information supplied will also include;
1. How to set up a Non Charitable Resource within days of an alleged 'abduction' occurring.
2. The best method of declining to answer a Police Officer's questions.
3. Methods of searching for 'missing person' from behind a computer, on a tennis court or when jogging.
4. How best to describe undamaged window shutters as broken.
5. How to store a friendly MPs number on a mobile phone.
6. Ten good reasons to carry decaying chicken remains in a rented car.
7. How to become an expert in canine and forensic investigation in 10 easy steps.
8. Points to be observed when hiring Private Investigators.
9. Family Liaison Officer or Propaganda....which is best?
10. Suing or Searching, what should parents do....

Will all the families with missing children also be granted 3.5 million for a review?

malena stool wrote:Can we assume the information supplied will also include;
1. How to set up a Non Charitable Resource within days of an alleged 'abduction' occurring.
2. The best method of declining to answer a Police Officer's questions.
3. Methods of searching for 'missing person' from behind a computer, on a tennis court or when jogging.
4. How best to describe undamaged window shutters as broken.
5. How to store a friendly MPs number on a mobile phone.
6. Ten good reasons to carry decaying chicken remains in a rented car.
7. How to become an expert in canine and forensic investigation in 10 easy steps.
8. Points to be observed when hiring Private Investigators.
9. Family Liaison Officer or Propaganda....which is best?
10. Suing or Searching, what should parents do....

Excellent post Malena. Spot on.

maebee wrote:

malena stool wrote:Can we assume the information supplied will also include;
1. How to set up a Non Charitable Resource within days of an alleged 'abduction' occurring.
2. The best method of declining to answer a Police Officer's questions.
3. Methods of searching for 'missing person' from behind a computer, on a tennis court or when jogging.
4. How best to describe undamaged window shutters as broken.
5. How to store a friendly MPs number on a mobile phone.
6. Ten good reasons to carry decaying chicken remains in a rented car.
7. How to become an expert in canine and forensic investigation in 10 easy steps.
8. Points to be observed when hiring Private Investigators.
9. Family Liaison Officer or Propaganda....which is best?
10. Suing or Searching, what should parents do....

Excellent post Malena. Spot on.

Agreed. Excellent post, malena.

I think the McCann's demonstrated how not to help the police, how not to preserve a crime scene, who to ring first, what lies to promulgate, how not to be seen searching for their daughter and how to make money from what would appear to be a crime, annoying as many people on the way as they could. Ohh, and talking bollox about the dogs. It would seem that just coz they are masons they can get fellow masons to grovel to their every word. I've worked with 100's of masons and they are not the sharpest pencils in the box. That's why we have poor and sometimes corrupt managers.

Oh dear! Doesn't look like there is financial support on offer, which (with my cynical mind) I think was the reason the TM's interest.

AnnaEsse wrote:Oh dear! Doesn't look like there is financial support on offer, which (with my cynical mind) I think was the reason the TM's interest.

You a cynic Anna...........don't make I larffff