Section 329.30  Reporting Missing, Runaway, and Abducted Children

a)         Initial Report

1)         Whenever a child, for whom the Department of Children and Family Services has legal responsibility, is believed to be missing or on runaway, or to have been abducted, from a placement facility, the caregiver shall report the incident to Department casework staff no later than the next business day.  If the child is believed to be at risk due to the child's age or degree of vulnerability, the caregiver shall report the incident immediately to:

A)        Department casework staff, if the incident occurs during normal working hours;

B)        the State Central Register during after-hours or on weekends.

2)         As soon as the child's caseworker learns that a child is missing, the worker shall verbally notify the local police authorities (city police or sheriff's office) and follow their procedures for reporting a missing child that include filing a missing person's report at the police station in the district in which the minor most recently resided.  The worker shall provide as much identifying information about the child as possible to police authorities, including a photograph of the child and whether fingerprints are on file with the Illinois State Police.

3)         After the police report has been made, the worker shall file an unusual incident report (UIR) in accordance with 89 Ill. Adm. Code 331 (Unusual Incidents Involving Department Clients, Employees, and Facilities).

b)         Other Reports

In addition to the notification required above in subsection (a), the caseworker shall also notify:

1)         the child's parents, guardian or legal custodian;

2)         the juvenile court of jurisdiction; and

3)         the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children  and Child Find of America.

c)         Required Follow-up Activities

1)         After the required notifications, the caseworker shall attempt to locate the child by:

A)        Inquiring of the following persons if they have knowledge of the possible location of the child:

i)          past known caregivers who have cared for the child for at least six months within the last two years or any other caregivers with whom the child is known to have had a close relationship;

ii)         relatives, including the child's parents;

iii)        neighbors and landlord  of the child's last known address;

iv)        close friends and classmates of the child, including any known boyfriends or girlfriends;

v)         teachers, counselors, and other personnel at the school that the child last attended, or at other schools the child attended if there is knowledge that the child had a close relationship with persons at that school; and

vi)        other staff of the Department or purchase of service agency who might have knowledge of the possible location of the minor;

B)        reviewing the Public Aid Client Information Systems screen to seek the location of the minor and any other person with whom the caseworker suspects the minor might be living;

C)        inquiring of local emergency shelters and homeless youth programs whether they have any information as to the whereabouts of the child; and

D)        requesting any of the persons contacted above to contact the caseworker if they subsequently receive any information about the child's location.

2)         The child's caseworker shall periodically (no less than once per month) check with the local police or appropriate local law enforcement agency on the status of the report.  Whenever the caseworker obtains new information that may lead to the whereabouts of the child, the caseworker shall immediately report the information to the local police or appropriate local law enforcement agency.

3)         The caseworker shall also keep the court informed of any changes in the child's status.

4)         At their monthly supervisory meeting the worker and supervisor shall discuss what is being done to locate the missing child and review what steps are being taken.

(Source:  Added at 24 Ill. Reg. 15037, effective October 16, 2000)