Train operator c2c has announced that it has entered a partnership with “Missing People”, which is a UK charity dedicated to reconnecting missing people with their loved ones.
With the new partnership, c2c also joins Missing People's Safeguarding Briefing Network (SBN), which is a network of organisations through which Missing People can send missing person briefings to a station when it has intelligence suggesting that staff at that station may come into contact with the missing person.
c2c has 26 stations across its 45-mile route from London to South Essex and millions of passengers each year. By joining the charity's network will increase the chance of finding missing people moving through c2c's area and builds on its focus on safeguarding and security, as well as collaboration with the British Transport Police.
The Safeguarding Briefing Network is a vital part of Missing People's work in searching for missing people. Sometimes, public-facing publicity could be harmful to missing people and cause them distress such as for a missing person escaping domestic abuse when it may not be safe to launch a publicity appeal.
Once the Safeguarding Briefing Network informs c2c of a missing person, station and mobile security staff are briefed on who to look out for and what they should do if a missing person is seen.
his could be by interacting with the person to let them know they have been reported missing, and providing them with details of the Missing People charity so they can contact them directly if they want to.
If the person doesn't wish to do that, c2c staff can report the person's sighting to Missing People for it to look for other ways to help. The service has already been deployed across c2c's network and several missing people have already been identified on the route.
Jo Youle, CEO for the charity Missing People said: “We are delighted to announce this important new partnership with c2c rail who are part of our journey to encourage people in crisis to get help before disappearing. We know that when people are at their most vulnerable, they may think of going missing. We hope that we can reach them before they go and provide the support to keep them safe.”
Head of Revenue Protection and Security at c2c, Iain Palmer, said: “I'm really proud to see this partnership go live; c2c is uniquely positioned to help search for missing people who may come into contact with our teams and provide help before situations escalate. With our colleagues working across stations and trains across east London and Essex, we cover a huge area so we can extend the impact of Missing People's reach, giving hope and support in helping finding missing individuals.”
People who have been helped include people like Ju Benclowe, who made her way to a railway station while in crisis. She said: “During that moment of lostness, when I was stood on the station platform becoming detached from myself I was not yet ‘missing' to others. I believe that there was a window of opportunity there. Had I been able to see these images they may well have been able to cut through that growing hopelessness, preventing the situation from escalating into the trauma of becoming completely overwhelmed.
“It has been a privilege to consult collectively with Missing People on this prevention project and to find ways of using my own experiences of grief and loss to support those who are in crisis now.”
