Question 1: What should I do when my child is lost?

Answer:
The first thing you should remember is not to panic. Asking all family members and friends to search is the first step. At the mean time, parents or guardian should go to the nearest police station and report as early as possible since there is no limitation regarding how long you should wait before reporting. The earlier you report, the more chance you will be able find your child. There should be at least one person that stays in house and wait for phone call. Child or police may call when every one is outside searching. You can also dial our hotline 0800-049880. Social worker in the Center will discuss with you possible ways to search for your child.

One important thing all parents or caregivers should know is to keep some image record of your child, such as photos or video clips, from time to time. There were many parents who lost the best timing to search simply because they didn’t have recent photo or video clips of their children when the young ones were missing. Try to be attentive to your child’s social life as best as you can. Observe his or her use of the Internet and involve yourself into child’s’ circle of friends. Little things you learn may be crucial one day when there is the need.

Question 2: How does Missing Children Data Resource Center search for child?

Answer:
After the family or related party contacts us and provides child’s information, the Center will upload the information and mach it with the data in the Center. If there is data of persons that tallies with that of the child, the Center will investigate.

The Center uses various social resources to search for your child. General public will have access to basic information of your child due to the wide exposure of child’s photos and information on television, radio, newspaper, the Internet, poster and cell phone message. There are many charitable company and store owners that sponsor the Center in making and putting up posters. The aim is to increase the chance of finding your child with the help of general public.

The road of finding child may be long and difficult, but we will be there with you. Other than searching, social worker of the Center also works with you to learn how the child got lost, how the child was when in family and school and how the absence of run-away child influenced the family. How to prevent child from getting lost again in future is also included in the discussion.

Question 3: Does the Center charge any fee for search?

Answer:
Search service of the Center is free of charge. We know that searching can be very painstaking and costly from years of helping families of missing child. To provide optimum free service to these parents, the Center applies to Children's Bureau for fund every season to make posters. We also recruit charitable company and store owners and entrepreneurs to print, put on or send out search information for free. It is our hope that mass exposure of child’s photo and data can be achieved through the coordination of various networks.

With the support of government, private enterprises and individuals, the Center provides all services for free. We welcome all families of missing or run-away children to contact us.

Question 4: If I suspect that a child or teenager is a missing person, what should I do?

Answer:
If you suspect a child or teenager is a missing person, you are advised to observe whether it is the first time he or she shows up at that place. If the answer is yes and you worry that the minor may leave soon, please immediately dial 110 and call police to check the identity of the person. In the mean time, you can keep tracking the suspected minor until police arrives.

If the answer is no and you believe that the person regularly appear at a certain time, please take his or her photo. You can send the photo to the Center and inform us of the time and location of which you see the person. We will match the information with the data in the Center. If the person is confirmed to be missing person under search, social worker or police will investigate and contact the family. The Center will also assist and prepare both the family and minor to adapt to their future life together.