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| The missing link | The missing link |
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| More than 200,000 people are reported missing in the UK each year. Often, where every other organisation fails, the National Missing Persons Helpline finds them. | More than 200,000 people are reported missing in the UK each year. Often, where every other organisation fails, the National Missing Persons Helpline finds them. |
| On 19 December, 1995, Diane Lilburn walked out of her home in Lincolnshire. She left no note for her mother and stepfather, she simply disappeared. | On 19 December, 1995, Diane Lilburn walked out of her home in Lincolnshire. She left no note for her mother and stepfather, she simply disappeared. |
| Her parents spent the next six years trying to find her, but with no sightings or leads their search was ultimately fruitless. Her mother Peggy had to try to come to terms with the fact her daughter might never come back. | Her parents spent the next six years trying to find her, but with no sightings or leads their search was ultimately fruitless. Her mother Peggy had to try to come to terms with the fact her daughter might never come back. |
| "You just feel like the bottom has dropped out of your stomach when one of your children goes missing, it's as if there's a big hole," she says. | "You just feel like the bottom has dropped out of your stomach when one of your children goes missing, it's as if there's a big hole," she says. |
| The look on Peggy's face every time we failed to find Diane, I didn't like what I saw, it was complete despair Roger Lilburn In a last-ditch attempt Peggy contacted the National Missing Persons Helpline (NMPH), after learning about the charity from a television programme. It found her daughter within a month, tracking her down to Brighton. | |
| Diane was reunited with her family and told them she had run away from home because she was gay. | Diane was reunited with her family and told them she had run away from home because she was gay. |
| "I said to her that it doesn't matter what you are, most of all you are my daughter," says Peggy. | "I said to her that it doesn't matter what you are, most of all you are my daughter," says Peggy. |
| Diane now sees her family regularly. "I can't put those six years back but I can live each day now and cherish every moment that we have together," she says. | Diane now sees her family regularly. "I can't put those six years back but I can live each day now and cherish every moment that we have together," she says. |
| More than 200,00 people are reported missing in the UK each year, according to the NMPH - the only missing persons' charity in Britain. Debt, sexual abuse, depression and family conflict are among the main reasons why people vanish. | More than 200,00 people are reported missing in the UK each year, according to the NMPH - the only missing persons' charity in Britain. Debt, sexual abuse, depression and family conflict are among the main reasons why people vanish. |
| Battle | Battle |
| Of the thousands reported missing, most are found within days. But many remain missing for months, even years. | Of the thousands reported missing, most are found within days. But many remain missing for months, even years. |
| Where other organisation often fail, NMPH has a high success rate in finding people who disappear. It helps to resolve 70% of all the cases it works on. It is a staggering achievement considering the limited access it is granted to the best information sources and the closed legal doors it faces. | Where other organisation often fail, NMPH has a high success rate in finding people who disappear. It helps to resolve 70% of all the cases it works on. It is a staggering achievement considering the limited access it is granted to the best information sources and the closed legal doors it faces. |
| Unlike the police, the NPMH has no access to information such as bank accounts and mobile phone records. It has no formal agreements with doctors, hospitals or government agencies to share information. | Unlike the police, the NPMH has no access to information such as bank accounts and mobile phone records. It has no formal agreements with doctors, hospitals or government agencies to share information. |
| Diane disappeared for six yearsObtaining details is a constant battle as there is no standard protocol in place to allow them access to personal information. | Diane disappeared for six yearsObtaining details is a constant battle as there is no standard protocol in place to allow them access to personal information. |
| It uses its own confidential and diverse network of individuals and organisations around the country. | It uses its own confidential and diverse network of individuals and organisations around the country. |
| Letters written by the office are forwarded through the network. It has no idea where they are going and only makes contact with the missing person if they chose to respond to the letter. | Letters written by the office are forwarded through the network. It has no idea where they are going and only makes contact with the missing person if they chose to respond to the letter. |
| For runaways, the charity's role outside of the police is massively important, as well as the fact all contact is confidential. But essentially the operation is dependent on the goodwill of those in the network. | For runaways, the charity's role outside of the police is massively important, as well as the fact all contact is confidential. But essentially the operation is dependent on the goodwill of those in the network. |
| "Trust is central to what we do, for the missing people we work with and the network we use to find them," says a NMPH spokesman. | "Trust is central to what we do, for the missing people we work with and the network we use to find them," says a NMPH spokesman. |
| "At the end of the day these individuals and organisations are only doing it out of generosity and they need to be sure they can trust us to use the information appropriately. " | "At the end of the day these individuals and organisations are only doing it out of generosity and they need to be sure they can trust us to use the information appropriately. " |
| Trust | Trust |
| The NMPH is also unique because it actively looks for all types of missing people, from high risk cases to low risk or "lost contact" cases. | The NMPH is also unique because it actively looks for all types of missing people, from high risk cases to low risk or "lost contact" cases. |
| Because Diane was 24 when she disappeared she was not considered a high priority case by the police. In this country you have a right as an adult to go missing. In other European countries, like Poland, it is against the law. | Because Diane was 24 when she disappeared she was not considered a high priority case by the police. In this country you have a right as an adult to go missing. In other European countries, like Poland, it is against the law. |
| UK RUNAWAYS 210 000 people reported missing each yearMajority return within 72 hours77,000 first-timerunaways each year in UK under 16One in 14 children who run away, first run before the age of 8. SOURCE: CHILDREN'S SOCIETY Runaways: Help and advice | UK RUNAWAYS 210 000 people reported missing each yearMajority return within 72 hours77,000 first-timerunaways each year in UK under 16One in 14 children who run away, first run before the age of 8. SOURCE: CHILDREN'S SOCIETY Runaways: Help and advice |
| "Here I can go home and I can pack my bags and I don't have to tell anyone and I can set up a new life," says Paul Tuohy, chief executive of the NMPH. "Some people have a very good reason for doing that." | "Here I can go home and I can pack my bags and I don't have to tell anyone and I can set up a new life," says Paul Tuohy, chief executive of the NMPH. "Some people have a very good reason for doing that." |
| But what the police class as a low-risk case is no less painful for family and friends left behind. | But what the police class as a low-risk case is no less painful for family and friends left behind. |
| "It was never out of our minds," says Peggy. "It was always there." | "It was never out of our minds," says Peggy. "It was always there." |
| The NMPH is now working hard to try and formalise a way of operating that will not fall foul of the Data Protection Act. This would enable the charity to find more missing people, and do so quicker. | The NMPH is now working hard to try and formalise a way of operating that will not fall foul of the Data Protection Act. This would enable the charity to find more missing people, and do so quicker. |
| "When you are able to reunite a family it's the most wonderful feeling of job satisfaction," says a NMPH case worker. "The amount of cases we resolve is an amazing achievement with the limited access we are granted." | "When you are able to reunite a family it's the most wonderful feeling of job satisfaction," says a NMPH case worker. "The amount of cases we resolve is an amazing achievement with the limited access we are granted." |
| The charity is also trying to secure funding past 2006. It was just days away from folding in 2005, but was awarded a grant by the government which enabled it to stay afloat. This year hundreds of families have been reunited with loved ones they would not have been if the charity had gone under. | The charity is also trying to secure funding past 2006. It was just days away from folding in 2005, but was awarded a grant by the government which enabled it to stay afloat. This year hundreds of families have been reunited with loved ones they would not have been if the charity had gone under. |
| "For those that look to us in that dreaded moment when you realise a loved one has gone, they would be lost without us," says the case worker. | "For those that look to us in that dreaded moment when you realise a loved one has gone, they would be lost without us," says the case worker. |
| The eight-part series Runaways is on Thursdays at 1930 BST on BBC Three, starting 19 October. | The eight-part series Runaways is on Thursdays at 1930 BST on BBC Three, starting 19 October. |
| Wondeful that there is a group out there that is trying to help families, but how typical of our goverment and its attitude that they recieve no help, and that they are blocked by official red tape, when they could help ease the burden of work on the police, and help relieve people's fears and worries.Anna, Cardiff | Wondeful that there is a group out there that is trying to help families, but how typical of our goverment and its attitude that they recieve no help, and that they are blocked by official red tape, when they could help ease the burden of work on the police, and help relieve people's fears and worries.Anna, Cardiff |
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