The Independent's SafeCall campaign has raised over £100,000 in donations, bringing it closer to launching a national helpline for missing young people. The milestone was reached after an outpouring of public support, with readers donating rapidly to help children at risk.
Jo Youle, chief executive of Missing People, expressed gratitude: 'We are absolutely over the moon that The Independent has reached an incredible milestone – £100,000! To every reader, and to everyone who has recognised, supported, and championed the work Missing People is doing – thank you from the bottom of our hearts.' She added that the funds are a step towards building SafeCall, a service urgently needed by many young people.
The campaign was prompted by the scale of the crisis: more than 72,000 children go missing in the UK each year, equivalent to a child reported missing every two and a half minutes. Over half of missing children have experienced conflict, abuse or neglect at home, and seven in 10 young people who have been sexually exploited have also been reported missing.
Jade Knight, a young adviser who went missing 50 times as a teenager, described SafeCall as 'life-changing'. She credited Missing People with saving her life and now helps other vulnerable young people. CIL Management Consultants contributed £5,000 to the campaign, with managing partner Jon Whiteman stating that SafeCall offers a safe, confidential space for young people to reach out.
The campaign also raises awareness about the issue, which affects over 430,000 people annually. Missing People has warned that neurodivergent children are at greater risk of going missing and harm, calling for tailored interventions.
