There is a hidden story and silence in the community on a growing phenomenon over the last several years of people who go missing.

It is estimated that up to 250,000 missing persons reports are made to the police each year. Over 77,000 young people under the age of 16 are likely to run away for the first time each year. Most people go missing intentionally due to a breakdown in their relationship with partners or parents. Among those found alive, only 20% return to their families or partners. Among the small number found dead, half commit suicide and a third die due to harm or accident.

The National Missing Persons Helpline an independent charity, which helps to search for missing people and supports families, handles 10,000 cases a year.

They recently launched a joint report in March 2003 with the Department of Social Policy and Social Work at the University of York called Lost from view: Missing persons in the UK by Nina Biehal, Fiona Mitchell and Jim Wade.

The report reviewed over 2000 cases with indepths interviews of people who were subsequently reunited with their families.

The report one of the most comprehensive in the UK found that one third of young people who go missing stay with strangers and put themselves at great risk. Also, that adult men and teenage girls were more likely to go missing.

Both adults and young people interviewed by the researchers claimed if communication had been better in their families or if they had received advice, counselling or mediation before leaving they might not have gone missing.

Although the report did not look in detail at the issues of ethnicity and the black community, Every Generation is of the opinion that the black community potentially is more likely to go missing.

This is a result of a number of considerations:

• Compared to the national population trends we have a younger population based on 1991 and 2001 Census;
• Based on academic, government research reports and policy programmes black young people and men are more vulnerable and at risk (e.g. black population located in most deprived neighbourhoods in the country, higher rates of mental health problems, look after children in care, school exclusion, offending rates, domestic violence etc).

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