FAQS

Visit the Find More Help page or Call Us at 116 000.

You get through to the emergency centre of the canton from which you are calling.

The police officer who receives your call records the initial information and then transfers your call to the person in charge who will process the information according to a specific protocol. See emergency measures

Depending on the age of the child and the type of disappearance, the first few hours after a disappearance are crucial.

Even if the police do not publish public missing persons reports, they start work immediately.

As soon as it is registered, the missing persons’ report is forwarded to all cantonal police forces via the Confederation's computerised search system. This means that your child could be found during a simple check-up.

In Switzerland, we estimate that there are about 25,000 runaways per year and more than 100 parental abductions per year. See FOJ Report

However, Switzerland does not currently have any official statistics on the disappearance of minors, which is one of Missing Children Switzerland's main concerns. See "Studies and statistics".

In the case of a call to the 116 000 hotline, you can reach us on a hidden number.

However, for security reasons, calls are recorded.

There is no specific waiting time for reporting a disappearance.

If your child is missing, here are theMy child is missing to take.

At the end of 2016, the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) entrusted us with the responsibility for the 116 000 hotline at national level, in accordance with the ECC law on the management of the 116 000 hotline number in all EFTA countries (according to the CEPT ECC/DEC/(07)03 decision of 6 July 2007, revised on 26 February 2008 and 16 June 2010).

In the event of a missing minor in one of the 26 Swiss cantons, Missing Children Switzerland has a duty to provide 24/7 assistance to those who need it via the 116 000 hotline.

Our duties:

A) To receive calls and transfer information to policies

B) To provide advice and emotional support to legal representatives or persons in the child's environment

C) To support the work of police investigators with all the means at our disposal

Publishing a photo of a missing child is a sensitive process.

When a missing persons report is revoked, we commit time and resources to ensuring that nothing else is posted on the Internet – even if unfortunately, there is no such thing as zero risk.

Putting up posters in your neighbourhood involves the following risks:

1. Your child will have to deal with comments and neighbours when he/she returns.

2. Putting up posters implies that you have to go and get them back, it is a job that must be organised.

3. A malicious person can use the information, walk around the area and watch for his or her return home.

Call us on 116 000.

A "Pilot" will greet you, then transfer your call to a Specialist Advisor, who will get back to you within minutes.

In Switzerland, intervention with minors at risk is the responsibility of the cantons and can therefore vary depending on where an abused child is reported.

But as a general rule, any person who has knowledge of a situation of a minor in danger, whether in the performance of his or her duties or not, has the duty and obligation to report it to the minor protection authority of his or her canton.

In the event of a disappearance, every minute counts.

Consult our emergency measures or contact us on 116 000.

We are here for you.