The Shocking Scale of Missing Children in the UK
It is a startling and often hidden reality that approximately 70,000 children and teenagers are reported missing in the United Kingdom every single year. This distressing situation leaves hundreds of thousands of family members and friends in a state of anguish and confusion. The vast majority of those who disappear are teenagers, though many are younger, and all are placed in a position of extreme vulnerability, facing heightened risks of harm, exploitation, and homelessness from the moment they vanish.
The Independent's SafeCall Christmas Appeal
To confront this national crisis, The Independent has launched its Christmas appeal, choosing to support the charity Missing People and its groundbreaking SafeCall project. The campaign, officially launched on Monday 10 November 2025, has a fundraising target of £165,000. This sum is a crucial part of the more than £600,000 needed to launch and operate SafeCall for a full year. Missing People is the only charity in the UK dedicated solely to reconnecting missing individuals with their loved ones, and currently, it only reaches one in four of those who disappear.
The unique power of the SafeCall initiative lies in its design, which was developed with direct input from young people themselves. It aims to provide protection and support in ways that feel open, accessible, and, most importantly, safe for the children, with a guaranteed promise of anonymity. The service will offer tailored support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, through various channels including a dedicated WhatsApp service, a chatbot, and a website with advice specifically geared towards young people in crisis.
Celebrity Backing and Personal Testimonies
The appeal has garnered significant support from influential figures. Dame Esther Rantzen, the founder of Childline, has given her backing, recognising SafeCall as a natural evolution of her pioneering work in providing safe, anonymous help for children.
Perhaps the most poignant endorsement comes from Sir Stephen Fry. The renowned actor, broadcaster, and mental health campaigner understands the compulsion to disappear firsthand, having himself vanished thirty years ago, causing great concern to his family and fans. Sir Stephen not only welcomes the appeal but also stresses that SafeCall can create a vital legacy, offering help "wherever young people need it and no matter what".
The campaign is also supported by those with direct experience. Jade Knight, now 23 and an ambassador for Missing People, credits the charity with saving her life after she went missing more than fifty times during her childhood. She affirms that SafeCall is designed for anyone who feels they "just want to disappear".
Your contribution can make a direct impact:
- A donation of £10 can help a missing child find a safe place.
- £30 can provide overnight advice and support.
- £100 can fund an entire helpline shift, ensuring trained staff are available when a vulnerable young person reaches out.
A Call for Generosity to Change Lives
While many missing children are found quickly, the article soberly notes that not all stories have a happy ending. On average, one missing child dies every week in the UK, leaving families in perpetual distress. The Independent acknowledges the many appeals for generosity during the festive season but emphasises that the plight of missing children is a critically neglected cause deserving of both public attention and practical support. Following the remarkable success of last year's appeal for Refuge, which funded two new safe houses, the publication dares to hope for a similarly generous public response to help bring thousands of vulnerable children to safety.
