What to do if your Child is Missing

As a general policy, you should always carry a Child ID Card. This card can be effective for describing your child to those people in close proximity to where your child goes missing.
You should also save the photo and personal information files from your child’s Electronic ID to a floppy diskette, CDRom, USB Drive or even PDA
.
This can be carried in a woman’s purse or the glove compartment of a car. It is recommended that you make a new copy at least once a month – floppy diskettes are not the most reliable storage media and can become susceptible to heat.

If You Believe Your Child is Missing…

1. If your child goes missing while at home, thoroughly search the house. Check
   under beds, in closets, under piles of laundry, the basement – anywhere a child
   could be hiding.
2. If your child goes missing while at a store, call them by name and immediately
   notify a store manager or security office. Many stores have a CODE ADAM
   policy where the store is lockeddown and employees help to search for the
   child.
3. In all situations, if the child is not immediately found, call local law
   enforcement by dialing 911. There is NO mandatory waiting period when a
   child is missing. When you speak with law enforcement personnel, provide
   them your name ,child’s date of birth, height, weight, hair color, and any other
   distinguishing identifiers. Tell them where your child went missing and the
   clothes they were wearing.
4. When the law enforcement responds, present the officer with the copy of the Electronic ID. Allow them to keep the Electronic ID. If you are at home, let law enforcement know that you can email a photo and personal information to their department.
5. Request the local agency’s case number and the NCIC number. Record them
   both in a safe place. Providing these numbers to a Missing Child NonProfit
   Organization (NPO) will assist in expediting the case registration process.
6. Once you have contacted local law enforcement, notify one of the Missing
   Child NonProfit Organizations listed here. They have the experience to assist
   you and local law enforcement in recovering your child.
   1. a. National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
      1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678)
   2. b. Child Find of America
      1-800-IAM-LOST (1-800-426-5678)
   3. c. Operation LOOKOUT
      1-800-LOOKOUT (1-800-566-5688)
   4. d. Polly Klaas Foundation
      1-800-587-4357
   5. e. Vanished Children’s Alliance
      1-800-VANISHED (1-800-826-4743)
7. Keep your home staffed and record conversations.
8. Distribute posters. Contact your local police department's crime prevention
   officer. This person is responsible for organizing your community's local
   Neighborhood Watch. The Neighborhood Watch Block Captains can help
   organize and expedite the distribution of posters and flyers in highly visible
   areas.
   
   Get help printing and distributing posters of the missing child:
   
   Many printers will provide free printing services for missing children poster
   reproduction. Contact your local Kinkos, Staples, or other printer.
   
   Contact your local police department's Crime Prevention Officer, who is responsible
   for organizing and supporting your community's Neighborhood Watch. Your
   Neighborhood Watch Block Captains may help organize and expedite the distribution
   of these posters in highly visible areas.