An Essex man who repeatedly vanished as a teenager has revealed that his undiagnosed ADHD was the single biggest factor driving his disappearances. J Grange, now an adviser for the charity Missing People, is calling for urgent, tailored support for neurodivergent children at risk of going missing.
A Childhood in Crisis
From the age of 13, J Grange began a pattern of disappearing from home. He faced school exclusion, police trouble, and was often labelled as disruptive. In reality, he was a child in profound crisis, grappling with undiagnosed ADHD, which led to severe depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.
"I just didn't want to be seen by anybody," Mr Grange told The Independent. "The easiest option for me was to run, just run, go missing... It was a defence mechanism for when I was struggling mentally and with my neurodivergence." His disappearances were not a one-off event but a recurring response to his struggles.
The Launch of a Lifeline: SafeCall
In response to the crisis facing young people like his younger self, The Independent is partnering with the charity Missing People to launch SafeCall. This new, free service, co-designed and piloted by young people, aims to provide the support, safety, and connection that vulnerable children desperately need.
The ambitious goal is to raise £165,000 to fund the service, aiming to reach more of the 70,000 children reported missing in the UK each year. Currently, the charity reaches one in four of these children. The public can support the campaign by donating online or texting SAFE to 70577 to donate £10, which is enough to fund help for one child.
The Overlooked Link: Neurodivergence and Going Missing
Charities and senior psychologists have long warned that neurodivergent children face a greater danger of going missing and are at a heightened risk of exploitation while away from home. Despite evidence from frontline services, Missing People says a stark lack of formal research persists. Early indications suggest the scale of the problem may be far greater than official records show.
Mr Grange, who was eventually diagnosed with ADHD at 16 and later with dyspraxia, is adamant about the connection. "Neurodivergence is the thing that makes me, it's given me all the strengths I've had in my life, but it also gave me a lot of negatives because of being undiagnosed," he said. "It was the biggest catalyst for me going missing, 100 per cent."
He described the internal turmoil even during his disappearances: "My brain wouldn't shut down, because ADHD goes a thousand miles per hour. I was overthinking, I was nervous." Before his diagnosis, he battled low self-esteem and emotional dysregulation, believing himself to be "bad, naughty, unintelligent, and lazy."
Following his diagnosis at age 16, his life transformed. "After the diagnosis, I understood myself more, which gave me clarity, and I stopped all the negative things, going missing and dealing [drugs] and changed my life around," he stated. He believes that if his ADHD had been understood earlier, he would have been spared the severe mental health journey that included a suicide attempt.
Now working as a public speaker, entrepreneur, and neurodiversity advocate, Mr Grange poses a critical question: "Why is it that one in seven is neurodivergent, but we are not talking about neurodivergence when young people go missing?" With an estimated over 15 per cent of the UK population being neurodivergent, according to NHS Scotland, the call for targeted interventions has never been more urgent.
He believes a service like SafeCall could have changed his life, offering a "brilliant, trustworthy" lifeline. His message to young people at risk is that "there is strength in difference."
For anyone needing advice or support, or if someone you love goes missing, you can text or call the charity Missing People on 116 000. The service is free, confidential, and non-judgemental. Alternatively, visit www.missingpeople.org.uk/get-help.
