Federal, state, Tribal, local, and nonprofit entities work with and support families of missing children and the law enforcement agencies working their cases. An array of resources are offered in the form of staffing, equipment, operational guides and best practices, training, and technical assistance vital to communities’ readiness to respond when a child is missing. The following list is not exhaustive, but it can provide you with a solid base of resources for seeking assistance in partnership with your law enforcement team.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Child Exploitation Investigations Unit (CEIU)
dhs.gov/news/2022/04/04/fact-sheet-dhs-efforts-combat-child-exploitation-and-abuse
The Department of Homeland Security’s Child Exploitation Investigations Unit is part of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Cyber Crimes Center, which leads the nation in the fight against online child sexual abuse. CEIU detects and apprehends producers and distributors of child sexual abuse material and perpetrators of transnational child sexual abuse, identifies and rescues child victims around the world, and trains domestic and international law enforcement partners in innovative investigative practices. Its programs include:
- The CEIU Victim Identification Program (VIP) uses state-of-the-art technologies and traditional investigative techniques to identify and rescue child victims of sexual exploitation throughout the world.
- The HSI Victim Assistance Program supports child victims of abuse and sexual exploitation by providing emergency services and crisis response; and arranging short- and long-term direct services, such as legal representation, mental health treatment, and nongovernment organization support.
Prevent Abduction Program, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
888-407-4747 (U.S./Canada) | help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-827?language=en_US or cbp.gov/travel/international-childabduction-prevention-and-return-act
CBP’s Prevent Abduction Program can help prevent international parental child abductions. CBP coordinates with the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Children’s Issues (OCI) on IPCA cases.
- OCI submits potential IPCA cases to CBP for enrollment into CBP’s Prevent Abduction Program. IPCA cases must include a valid, enforceable U.S. court order indicating the child is prohibited from being removed from the United States.
- CBP creates travel alerts for a child at risk of IPCA and any potential abductor(s) involved.
- CBP continuously monitors Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) data in real time on passengers traveling to and from the United States using commercial carriers, vetting that information against the travel alerts.
- If a child at risk of IPCA or a potential abductor attempts to travel aboard a commercial carrier, their travel alert data will be matched against their APIS data, notifying CBP automatically.
- Once travel is identified, CBP notifies OCI and coordinates with CBP officers at the airport, seaport, or land border points of entry to intercept the child before departure.
- CBP personnel at airport, seaport, or land border points of entry further coordinate with local law enforcement to enforce the valid court order.
U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)
Federal Bureau of Investigation Violent Crimes Against Children Program (VCAC)
fbi.gov/investigate/violent-crime/vcac
The FBI’s Violent Crimes Against Children Program provides rapid, proactive, and comprehensive assistance and direction to counter threats of abuse and exploitation to children when those crimes fall under the authority of the FBI. VCAC can help identify, locate, and recover child victims. It focuses on child abductions, contact offenses against children, sexual exploitation of children, trafficking, and international parental child abduction. FBI resources include:
- Child Abduction Rapid Deployment (CARD) teams. CARD teams are composed of law enforcement personnel who have experience investigating crimes against children, especially in cases where a child has been abducted by someone other than a family member. CARD teams provide on-the-ground investigative, technical, and resource assistance to state and local law enforcement.
- The Endangered Child Alert Program (ECAP) focuses on identifying unknown individuals involved in the sexual abuse of children and the production of child sexual abuse material. ECAP, a collaborative effort between the FBI and NCMEC, seeks national and international exposure of unknown adults (referred to as John/Jane Does). More information is available at fbi.gov/wanted/ecap.
- The Violent Crimes Against Children International Task Force is a select cadre of international law enforcement experts who work together to formulate and deliver a global response to online child exploitation. The largest task force of its kind in the world, it is composed of 68 online child sexual exploitation investigators from 46 countries. More information is available at fbi.gov/investigate/violent-crime/vcac/international-task-force.
- The FBI Child ID App provides a convenient place to electronically store photos and other vital information about your children. The app is free for Android and Apple/iOS devices. More information is available at fbi.gov/news/stories/fbi-releases-newversion-of-child-id-app.
Office for Victims of Crime (OVC)
ovc.ojp.gov
Victim Compensation: OVC administers the Crime Victims Fund, which is financed in large part by fines and penalties paid by convicted federal offenders. Each year OVC channels millions of dollars to every state, U.S. territory, and participating Tribes to supplement state funding to support training and capacity-building programs for service providers. Funds are also used for crime victim compensation programs, victim assistance programs, and services to help victims in the immediate aftermath of a crime as they rebuild their lives. Crime victim compensation is the direct payment to a victim or their family to help cover
crime-related expenses, such as medical treatment, mental health counseling, lost wages, or funeral services. This includes funds to reimburse victims for out-of-pocket expenses resulting from a crime. Every state administers a crime victim compensation program, with most having similar eligibility requirements and comparable benefits. To find your state victim compensation agency, visit ovc.ojp.gov/help-for-victims/help-in-your-state.
Human Trafficking Services and Task Forces: OVC is the largest federal funder of services for human trafficking victims throughout the nation. For more information about its services, visit this interactive map: ovc.ojp.gov/program/human-trafficking/map.
THE ADVANTAGE OF VICTIM ADVOCATES
Victim advocates are usually co-located, or work in conjunction with, federal, state, Tribal, or local law enforcement or prosecutors’ offices. Ask law enforcement to arrange for a victim advocate to come to your home to explain your rights, and the counseling, treatment, and related services available to you.
A list of crime victim service agencies can be found at: ovc.ojp.gov/directory-crime-victim-services/ and ovc.ojp.gov/help-for-victims/help-in-your-state.
National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
nij.ojp.gov
National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
namus.nij.ojp.gov
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System is a national information clearinghouse and resource center for missing, unidentified, and unclaimed person cases across the United States. NamUs provides technology, forensic services, and investigative support to help resolve these cases. Funded and administered by the National Institute of Justice, and managed through a contract with RTI International, all NamUs resources are provided at no cost to law enforcement, medical examiners, coroners, allied forensic professionals, and family members of missing persons. NamUs provides tools that empower family members of missing persons to enter and search case information, connecting them with criminal justice professionals who can help in the search for their missing loved ones.
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
ojjdp.ojp.gov
OJJDP’s Delinquency Prevention and Child Protection (DPCP) division oversees efforts to protect children from violence, abuse, neglect, and other forms of victimization. The division focuses on protecting children from such crimes, responding to youth violence, and holding youth appropriately accountable to both crime victims and communities. DPCP administers programs related to crimes against children, including missing children, Internet crimes, and commercial sexual exploitation of children.
The following are four major initiatives that OJJDP funds to support missing and exploited children and their families:
- AMBER Alert amberalert.ojp.gov
The AMBER Alert System began in 1996 when Dallas-Fort Worth broadcasters teamed with local police to develop an early warning system to help find abducted children. It was created as a legacy to 9-year-old Amber Hagerman, who was kidnapped while riding her bicycle in Arlington, Texas, and then brutally murdered. The AMBER Alert section in chapter 6 provides information on how AMBER Alerts
operate. A list of AMBER Alert coordinators throughout the country is available at amberalert.ojp.gov/amber-alert-contacts. - AMBER Alert in Indian Country (AIIC) amber-ic.org
The AMBER Alert in Indian Country initiative assists Tribal communities in developing programs to safely recover endangered missing or abducted children through the coordinated efforts of the Tribes and their local, state, and federal partners. AIIC provides training and technology to enhance response capacities and increase public participation in protecting children. - AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program (AATTAP) amberadvocate.org
AATTAP’s mission is to safely recover missing, endangered, and abducted children through the coordinated efforts of law enforcement, the media, transportation, and other partners. AATTAP provides training and technology to enhance response capacities and capabilities, and increase public participation. - Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program (ICAC) icactaskforce.org
The ICAC program helps state and local law enforcement agencies develop effective responses to technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation and Internet crimes against children. ICAC is a national network of 61 coordinated task forces representing more than 5,400 federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies engaged in proactive and reactive investigations, forensic investigations, and criminal prosecutions. This includes forensic and investigative components, training and technical assistance, victim services, and community education. The program was developed to respond to the increasing number of children and teens using the Internet, the proliferation of child sexual abuse images available electronically, and heightened online activity by predators seeking unsupervised contact with underage victims.
U.S. Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs (BCA)
state.gov/bureaus-offices/under-secretary-for-management/bureau-of-consular-affairs
The BCA helps victims of domestic violence. Consular staff can help to identify domestic violence victim assistance, such as counseling referrals, domestic violence shelter information, and compensation resources that may be available in the local community, as well as resources if/when the child victim returns to the United States.
Office of Children’s Issues (OCI)
888-407-4747 (U.S./Canada) | +1-202-501-4444 (international)
travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/International-Parental-Child-Abduction.html
The Office of Children’s Issues is the central authority responsible for implementing the Hague Abduction Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. This international treaty provides a civil legal framework to promptly return children to their country of habitual residence after their wrongful removal or retention by one parent.
As IPCA cases are complicated, knowing which countries are treaty partners with the United States is important. OCI also assists in and provides information on preventing IPCA cases. More information is available at travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/International-Parental-Child-Abduction/abductions/hague-abduction-country-list.html.
For parents whose child was taken from the United States to a country that is not party to the Hague Child Abduction Convention, contact OCI to determine what other options are available. In these instances, attorneys can play an important role, such as representing a parent who fears a parental abduction may take place, or advising parents whose children have already been abducted to another country.
Contact the closest U.S. embassy or consulate for a list of attorneys in that foreign country. To find a U.S. attorney, visit:
- American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers: aaml.org
- International Academy of Family Lawyers: iafl.com
- American Bar Association: americanbar.org
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)
800-THE-LOST (800-843-5678) or missingkids.org
NCMEC is a private, nonprofit corporation whose mission is to help find missing children, reduce the incidence of child sexual exploitation, and prevent child victimization. NCMEC works with families, victims, private industry, law enforcement, and the public to help prevent child abductions, recover missing children, and provide services to deter and combat child sexual exploitation. NCMEC provides a wide range of services and resources for families of missing and exploited children, including:
- Distribution of pictures and posters of missing children worldwide. NCMEC can rapidly create and disseminate posters to help generate leads. To speak to a case manager, call 800-THE-LOST (800-843-5678). The case manager can coordinate with the investigating law enforcement agency, communicate with federal agencies to aid in the location and recovery of missing children, provide peer support and resources, and give families access to referrals for emotional or counseling needs.
- Team Adam, a free resource provided to law enforcement, provides rapid, onsite assistance to law enforcement agencies and families in critical cases of missing children. Team Adam consultants are retired law enforcement professionals who have a minimum of 10 years of experience at the federal, state, and local levels. Consultants deploy to sites where these cases are unfolding to provide on-the-ground
technical assistance and connect law enforcement to a national network of resources. The program’s unique access to NCMEC’s resources provides departments with added tools to help address complex, media-intensive cases. To connect with Team Adam, contact NCMEC at 800-THE-LOST (800-843-5678). - Information and technical assistance to members of the public. If you become aware of child sexual abuse material, online enticement of a minor, or other online exploitation of children, report it to the CyberTipline.
- Training, technical assistance, and support to state missing child/persons clearinghouses, and state and local law enforcement agencies. NCMEC assists state and local law enforcement through both training and operational support in missing child cases, best practices for NCIC entries, and is federally authorized to assist with AMBER Alert secondary distribution.
- Peer support to parents and families. NCMEC’s Team HOPE provides volunteers who have personally lived through an experience with a missing or exploited child. They offer compassion, empathy, understanding, kindness, and friendship to victims and their families.
- Written resources, in English and Spanish, on topics relating to missing children, child sexual exploitation, safety, and prevention. Visit missingkids.org/ourwork/publications.
Missing children nonprofit organizations specializing in IPCA
Bring Abducted Children Home
657-464-3579 or bachome.org
Bring Abducted Children Home is dedicated to the immediate return of internationally abducted children wrongfully detained in Japan. The organization strives to end Japan’s human rights violation of denying children unfettered access to both parents.
Email: bachome@bachome.org.
Bring Our Kids Home
973-878-1701 or bringourkidshome.org/index
Bring Our Kids Home is a parent-led organization seeking the immediate return of children kidnapped from the United States to India. The organization works actively on victim support, policy research, advocacy, and awareness campaigns.
Email: info@bringourkidshome.org.
International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC)
703-837-6313 or icmec.org
ICMEC works with countries committed to building or improving upon the systems to prevent and respond to cases of missing children, child sexual exploitation, or abuse. Through research, ICMEC identifies gaps in international child protection systems that leave children vulnerable, trains professionals to protect children from harm, and fosters conditions for systemic change. ICMEC connects parents and victims to helplines and hotlines that offer support services and ways to report illegal activity, including online sexual abuse material or imagery.
Email: information@icmec.org.
iStand Parent Network
606-356-8371 or istandparentnetwork.com
iStand empowers parents to recover their children from international parental child abduction and wrongful retention, and advocates for domestic and international policy reforms that return children home. Emergent technologies, resource referrals, and domestic and international gatherings are used to learn from each other and create international awareness of the prevalence and reality of this growing problem.
Email: istand@istandparentnetwork.com.
The Coalition to End International Parental Child Abduction
endchildabduction.org
The Coalition is composed of several organizations united to work to end international parental kidnapping of children through advocacy and public policy reform. The Coalition advocates for an end to IPCA; justice for abducting parents, aiders, and abettors; and legal and public policy reform to return children home.
Other Resources
Missing Child/Persons Clearinghouses
Missing child/persons clearinghouses are state agencies often housed within, or operationally connected to, the state police, highway patrol, or a top-level law enforcement agency. To learn more about the services and contact information for your state’s clearinghouse, visit missingkids.org/gethelpnow/clearinghouses.
National Association For Search And Rescue (NASAR)
877-893-0702 or nasar.org
Established in 1972, NASAR is a nonprofit organization that represents all search and rescue volunteers using national accredited standards. NASAR understands that improperly conducted searches, in which untrained or unsupervised volunteers do not follow established protocols, will adversely impact your child’s case.
National Runaway Safeline
800-RUN-AWAY (800-786-2929) or 1800runaway.org
The National Runaway Safeline operates 24/7 for a child who has run away or the family of that child. Staff are available to listen and offer confidential, nondirective, and nonjudgmental support that can guide the caller through solutions to improve their situation.
Recommended Readings
A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard (Simon & Schuster, 2011)
This is the memoir of Jaycee Dugard, who was abducted in 1991 at age 11. Jaycee tells her personal story from the time of her abduction through 2011. She talks about her experiences, including how she felt after being found.
Dear Jacob: A Mother’s Journey of Hope by Patty Wetterling (Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2023)
Patty shares the untold story of the 27-year-long search for her son Jacob after he was abducted on October 22, 1989. She details the investigation as it unfolds, discusses her family’s struggles, and shows how she maintained her energy and optimism – choosing to focus on hope.
I Know My First Name Is Steven by Mike Echols (Pinnacle Books, 1991)
The author describes the long ordeal of two children who were kidnapped by Kenneth Parnell and the trauma they faced. It is a true account of Steven Stayner’s 7-year ordeal and his parents’ commitment to bring him home safely.
I Promise I’ll Find You by Patricia Heather Ward (Firefly Books, 1994)
This heartwarming children’s book tells the story of a mother who promises to do everything humanly possible to find her child should that child ever become lost or missing from home.
Missing Child, Emergency Response, Quick Reference Guide (U.S. Department of Justice/Office of Justice Programs/Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2019)
This quick-reference guide for families offers instructions on what to do if parents believe their child is missing. Available at ojjdp.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh176/files/media/document/254775.pdf.
Tears of Rage by John Walsh (Pocket Books, 1997)
This book recounts the powerful and emotional story of John and Revé Walsh following the 1981 abduction and murder of their 6-year-old son Adam. The book also chronicles John Walsh’s exhaustive efforts on behalf of missing and exploited children.
The Crime of Family Abduction (U.S. Department of Justice/Office of Justice Programs/Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2010)
Written from the perspective of an abducted child and a searching parent, this guide offers insight into what it means to be abducted by a family member. It provides personal stories on what happens to a child who is abducted as well as the feelings of the searching parent, how to plan for a recovery, and helpful resources. Available in English at ojp.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/229933.pdf or in Spanish at ojp.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/234086.pdf.
What About Me? Coping With the Abduction of a Brother or Sister (U.S. Department of Justice/Office of Justice Programs/Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2007)
Written by siblings of children who were abducted, this guide contains information to help children coping with a kidnapped sibling. It provides ideas on what siblings can expect in terms of the feelings they may experience, the events that may occur from day to day, and the things they can do to help themselves feel better. Written in child-friendly language, it is divided into sections that include home, family, law enforcement, media, school and work, and holidays and anniversaries. The guide also contains activity pages for children of all ages, including those who are too young to read. Available at ojp.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/217714.pdf.
You’re Not Alone: The Journey From Abduction to Empowerment (U.S. Department of Justice/Office of Justice Programs/Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2008)
This guide presents stories from those who survived a child abduction and how they have grown and developed after their traumatic experiences. Written by survivors of child abduction, it provides information to help other survivors cope with their own experiences and begin their journey toward a better future. The guide also contains blank space where readers can write their thoughts and feelings about each story. Available in English at ojp.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/221965.pdf or in Spanish at ojjdp.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh176/files/pubs/237774.pdf.