Missing People launches WhatsApp crisis support

As she sat in the woods, feeling scared and alone, 19-year-old Ros didn't know who she could turn to for help. The teenager had been self-harming and was afraid she might hurt herself more seriously. Just a few days before, officers found Ros at a bridge after she had disappeared from home. She didn't want to talk to the police again out of fear they might detain her over concerns for her mental health, according to The Independent.

Ros received a message from the Missing People charity, which let her know she had been reported missing to the police. The charity explained she could speak to its staff confidentially, and they were there to give her the help she needed. Missing People spoke with Ros about what she was going through and helped her avoid self-harming further. She eventually agreed to contact the police for help.

Ros is one of the tens of thousands of young people going missing each year in the UK, who now have a lifeline following the launch of SafeCall — a free and confidential support service designed to keep children and young people safe. Thanks to the generosity of The Independent's readers, Missing People has this week launched a new WhatsApp service, as another part of its SafeCall offering, to reach more young people in moments of crisis. It allows children to send the charity a quick message if they do not want to talk on the phone.

The Independent set out last November to raise the vital funds needed to create SafeCall and spread awareness of children who have gone missing, and remain missing, today. The helpline was launched in January after an incredible £165,000 was raised. Our mission has drawn the support of several high-profile figures, including prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, former footballer Sir David Beckham, Childline founder Esther Rantzen, TV presenter Sir Stephen Fry, and mother of missing Madeleine, Kate McCann.

As part of the campaign, we heard from the parents living with the heartache of having a missing child, as well as those who were once missing and are now dedicated to helping young people in the position they were once in. With the support of The Independent as Missing People's partner, an additional £300,000 was raised for the charity's vital services at its annual gala event.

Amy Walker, the charity's head of digital development, said: "Thanks to the support from The Independent and their readers, we have added WhatsApp as a channel for young people to reach us when they need us most. "They have been asking to access our non-judgemental and empathetic team via WhatsApp for years, and it is exciting that we can finally fulfil their request.

"Our new WhatsApp channel, which we have built completely by ourselves, continues to focus on how important it is for young people to feel in control." The launch coincides with International Missing Children's Day, which aims to raise awareness about child disappearances across the globe. A child is reported missing every 2.5 minutes in the UK, and every week, a missing child will die.

The new service allows young people to speak with the charity anonymously and is available between 10am to 10pm every day. Right now, more than 40 per cent of children contacting Missing People's helpline are experiencing poor mental health, while nearly one in four children disclose risks linked to suicide. Some 53 per cent of children who get in touch are experiencing issues with their families or relationships. Among them was a 15-year-old who called the charity earlier this year after being kicked out of their home with nowhere to stay.