1. (a) The following applies to situations in which the child:

   1. (1) Has been taken from his or her parents, caretakers, or both, without authorization; and
   2. (2) Has run away independently from the home.

2. (b) After receiving notification of the child’s disappearance from the child’s family or by other means, the FSW Caseworker will:

   1. (1)

      1. (A) Notify his or her supervisor and the child’s attorney ad litem (if applicable) within two (2) hours.
      2. (B) This notification may occur via:

3. (i) Email;

   1. (ii) Phone; or

      1. (iii) Text;

   2. (2)

      1. (A) Determine within two (2) hours whether the child’s parents or caretakers have filed a missing person report with the local police department or sheriff’s office.
      2. (B) If the parents, caretakers, or both have filed a missing person report, obtain the missing person report number from the parents or caretakers.
      3. (C) If the parents or caretakers have not yet filed a missing person report, encourage the parents or caretaker to file the report with the local police department or sheriff’s department as soon as possible and obtain the missing person report number from the parents or caretakers as soon as possible.

      4. (D) If the parents and caretakers refuse to file a missing person report within one (1) business day, contact the local police department or sheriff’s department immediately to file a missing person report and provide the following information where reasonably possible:

         1. (i) Child’s name;
         2. (ii) A description of the child’s physical features such as:
4. (a) (a) Height;

5. (b) (b) Weight;

   1. (c) (c) Sex;

      1. (d) (d) Ethnicity;
6. (e) (e) Race;
7. (f) (f) Hair color; and

8. (g) (g) Eye color;

   1. (iii)
9. (a) (a) A photo of the child.

10. (b) (b) Any published photo or other information published to help locate the child shall not identify the child as being involved with the Division of Children and Family services;

    1. (iv) Child’s date of birth;

       1. (v) Circumstances of the missing child’s disappearance, including the date the child went missing or was last seen and if the child indicated a destination (and, if so, what the destination is);

          1. (vi) Any other factual, biographical, or historical information that may assist with locating the missing child;
          2. (vii) Endangerment information such as the child’s:
11. (a) (a) Pregnancy status;

12. (b) (b) Prescription medications;

    1. (c) (c) Suicidal tendencies;

       1. (d) (d) Vulnerability to being sex trafficked; and

13. (e) (e) Other health or risk factors; and

    1. (viii)
14. (a) (a) A request for law enforcement to enter the information into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

15. (b) (b) If the local police department or sheriff’s department will not allow the division to file a missing person report on behalf of the family, document the attempt to file the missing person report in the division’s information management system;

    1. (3) Once a police report has been filed, contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) no later than twenty-four (24) hours after receiving information on missing or abducted children or youth to provide the following information where reasonably possible to NCMEC per the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the division and NCMEC:

       1. (A) Child’s name;

       2. (B) A description of the child’s physical features such as:

          1. (i) Height;
          2. (ii) Weight;
          3. (iii) Sex;
          4. (iv) Ethnicity;
          5. (v) Race;
          6. (vi) Hair color; and
          7. (vii) Eye color;

       3. (C)

          1. (i) Photo of the child.
          2. (ii) Any published photo or other information published to help locate the child shall not identify the child as being involved with the division;
       4. (D) Child’s date of birth;
       5. (E) Name and contact information of the FSW Caseworker and FSW supervisor;
       6. (F) Investigating law enforcement agency name, contact information, and case number (i.e., missing person report number);
       7. (G) Circumstances of the missing child’s disappearance, including the date the child went missing or was last seen;
       8. (H) Any other factual, biographical, or historical information that may assist with locating the missing child; and

       9. (I) Endangerment information such as the child’s:

          1. (i) Pregnancy status;
          2. (ii) Prescription medications;
          3. (iii) Suicidal tendencies;
          4. (iv) Vulnerability to being sex trafficked; and
          5. (v) Other health or risk factors;
    2. (4) Upon NCMEC’s request, release to NCMEC any additional requested information or records in its possession that are relevant to locating the missing child;
    3. (5) Maintain regular communication with law enforcement agencies and NCMEC in efforts to provide a safe recovery of a missing or abducted child, including by sharing information pertaining to the child’s recovery and circumstances related to the recovery;
    4. (6) Update contacts in the division’s information management system regarding the missing child and efforts to locate the missing child; and

    5. (7) If the child:

       1. (A) Is not found and there are other children in the home:

          1. (i) Continue to provide services to the family and other children as appropriate;
          2. (ii) Continue to call previously contacted parties and inquire for information and furnish further information that becomes available through case closure; and
          3. (iii) If appropriate, extend the search to other counties and states; or

       2. (B) Is not found within sixty (60) calendar days and is the only child in the home:

          1. (i) Update the family’s assessment to determine if additional services, such as counseling, may be appropriate for the parents or caretakers; and
          2. (ii) Close the case if the family does not need further services.
          3. (c) After notification of the child’s disappearance by the family or by other means, the FSW supervisor will:
          4. (i) Notify the Area Director or designee of the child’s disappearance; and
          5. (ii) Conference with the FSW as needed.

Codification Notes: This section as promulgated prior to codification into the Code of Arkansas Rules provided as follows: "07/2024"