Independent Return Interviews

Government guidelines stipulate that when children and young people who go missing from home or care they should be offered an independent return home interview after they return to their home or care setting. This interview is undertaken by an independent return interviewer.

This course is recommended for professionals who already undertake return interviews, or those wishing to develop their understanding to be able to do so.

Independent Return Interviews Explained

During a return home interview, an independent professional can:

• Explore and understand, with the child or young person, the factors and circumstances that contributed to the missing episode.
• Identify, document and share information about any risks, harm, exploitation, victimisation or safeguarding concerns experienced while the child or young person was missing.
• Support the child or young person to identify protective factors, safety strategies and appropriate support services that may help address underlying needs and reduce the likelihood of future missing episodes.

Return home interviews aim to identify any risks that the child or young person has, or may face. The outcome of the meeting should be to find alternative ways for the child or young person to cope with their concerns. At its core, a return home interview prioritises safeguarding and looks to reduce the risk of harm for each child or young person. 

Course Content

Upon completion of this training, learners will:

• Understand the statutory and procedural context of return interviews

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• Identify and assess the push/pull factors influencing missing episodes

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• Apply trauma-informed and child-centred approaches to engagement

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• Understand and use appropriate tools and techniques to support children’s stories

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• Know how to gather and record information effectively, accurately and ethically

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• Recognise how return interviews contribute to prevention, protection and multi-agency learning

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This return home interview training will be delivered via a live, interactive webinar by a member of our highly experienced training team. 

NYAS is a leading, national rights-based charity who deliver a range of services to children, young people and adults across England and Wales. We have ongoing practical experience within this training area. Your learning will be supported by our expert guidance and a supporting handbook.

You can find all available training dates below - new dates are added regularly, so keep an eye on this page for any updates if the dates below don't work for you. If you're looking to discuss bespoke training dates, please email [email protected] and our team will be happy to help.