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Social Inclusion and Missing Children: Bridging the Gap for a Safer Society

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Panagiotis 22/02/2023
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Social inclusion and the issue of missing children might seem like distinct topics, but they are interconnected in significant ways. Promoting social inclusion is not only about creating a more equitable and cohesive society, but it also plays a crucial role in preventing and addressing the problem of missing children. This article explores the relationship between social inclusion and missing children, highlighting the importance of addressing both issues concurrently.

Social inclusion is about ensuring that every individual feels valued, respected, and fully integrated within their communities. It is a process that aims to dismantle barriers and promote equal opportunities for all, regardless of their background, abilities, or circumstances. When social inclusion is prioritized, communities become safer and more cohesive, reducing the vulnerability of children to becoming missing persons.

Children who are socially excluded are more susceptible to risks and dangers, making them more vulnerable to abduction, exploitation, or running away. Social exclusion can take various forms, such as poverty, discrimination, neglect, or lack of access to education and support services. These factors can contribute to a sense of alienation and desperation, pushing children towards risky situations or dangerous individuals.

To prevent missing children and ensure their safety, it is essential to address the root causes of social exclusion. Governments, community organizations, and individuals must work together to create inclusive environments where children are protected, supported, and given equal opportunities to thrive. This includes providing access to quality education, healthcare, social services, and recreational activities that promote their well-being and development.

Promoting social inclusion involves raising awareness and empowering communities to actively look out for the well-being of children. By fostering a culture of collective responsibility, neighbors, educators, and community members can contribute to creating a protective network that helps prevent children from going missing. Encouraging open communication, promoting positive parenting practices, and educating individuals about the warning signs and risks associated with child abduction and exploitation are crucial steps towards ensuring child safety.

When a child does go missing, social inclusion becomes vital in the response and recovery process. An inclusive and coordinated effort involving law enforcement, support organizations, and the community can significantly increase the chances of locating the missing child and facilitating their safe return. Communities that are well-informed and engaged are more likely to provide relevant information, support the affected families, and actively participate in search and rescue efforts.

Moreover, social inclusion plays a crucial role in the reintegration and support of missing children who are found or return home. These children often face emotional, psychological, and social challenges, and it is essential to provide them with the necessary support and resources to rebuild their lives. Social inclusion ensures that they are not stigmatized or further marginalized but are given opportunities to heal, grow, and reintegrate into their communities.

Social inclusion and the issue of missing children are interconnected, and addressing them together is paramount for building a safer and more compassionate society. By promoting social inclusion, we can create environments where children are protected, valued, and empowered. This includes providing equal opportunities, raising awareness, and fostering a sense of community responsibility. By embracing the principles of social inclusion, we can reduce the vulnerability of children, prevent abductions, and ensure the safe return and successful reintegration of missing children.

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Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

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Massimo Pici

SIULP

Massimo Pici is the Provincial General Secretary of SIULP (Italian Unitary Police Workers Union) of Perugia. During his trade union career, Pici has distinguished himself for his commitment to various issues related to the safety and protection of the rights of police workers. He has promoted training initiatives, such as courses for the search for missing persons, and has actively participated in debates on issues of social relevance, such as the proposal to establish a register for imams in Italy. Pici participated in the European project LOST 2, contributing, for the SIULP partner, to the development of the units of competence necessary for this new professional figure, underlining the importance of a European approach to the phenomenon of missing persons and the need to support the families involved.

Chara Stassinopoulou

p-consulting.gr

Chara Stassinopoulou holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management of Cultural Resources from the University of Patras, with further certification in Informatics and Computer Science. She serves as EU Projects Manager at p-consulting.gr, where she coordinates Erasmus+ projects across adult, VET, and school education, with a focus on inclusive, community-driven innovation and education.

Francisco Jiménez Navarro

SOS Desaparecidos (ES)

Francisco Jiménez Navarro is the General Coordinator of sosdesaparecidos and professional emergency medical technician. International aid worker and has participated in two armed conflicts in missions of identification of bodies of missing persons and humanitarian aid.

Barbara Coccetta

OMNIS

Barbara Coccetta, has a long experience in the the design and coordination of VET project (“Leonardo Da Vinci”, “Lifelong Learning Programme”, Erasmus Plus”) . A researcher in the VET context, she has been involved in European project management and coordination for 20 years. She is an European policy expert after a bachelor’s degree at the College of Europe in Bruges (BE) and a professional qualification professional qualification at the “Human Resources Development and EU Social Studies”. She is the reference person behalf of OMNIS Organisation for the technical coordination of the training activities providing her specific skills, her strong experience in this field and the deep knowledge acquired over the years in ECVET and EQAVET frameworks. OMNIS has provided other partner organisations with the support on the application of the over mentioned methodology based on a competence model, which takes also into account the European and national instructions in the field of the competencies framework for the definition and testing of the innovative professional in relation to the Missing People phenomenon.

Sara Sechi

Don Bosco International

Sara Sechi is the Executive Secretary of Don Bosco International – DBI. She holds a master’s degree in Law and an advanced-master in International Public Affairs. She has direct experience in non-formal education, training, intercultural learning, youth participation, inclusive leadership, and EU advocacy. She speaks Italian, English and French.

Nel Broothaerts

Child Focus Belgium

Nel Broothaerts graduated as Master in Pedagogical Sciences at the University of Ghent. In 2002, she was responsible for the development of an educational program for young children in Guatemala. After her return to Belgium, she worked within the education system for children with special needs, where she was responsible for the development of pedagogical tools for teachers. Between 2005 and 2007, Nel worked within the Youth Service as a home counsellor / parenting advisor for families in problematic parenting situations. In May 2007, she joined Child Focus and as project manager was responsible for the policy and development of prevention initiatives around e-safety. In September 2013, she became coordinator of the project team. In October 2017, she became Chief Prevention and Development Officer, responsible for all prevention initiatives, through tools, materials, education or training, and new developments in the Foundation. Since October 2022, she combines this position with the role of Deputy CEO of Child Focus.

Patrícia Cipriano

APCDV – Ass. Portuguese Association of Missing and Vulnerable Children

Patrícia de Sousa Cipriano is a lawyer and Honorary President of the Portuguese Association of Missing and Vulnerable Children (APCDV), with a career of more than 17 years dedicated to defending the rights of missing and vulnerable children. Graduated in Law from the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra (pre bologna), with specialization in International Family Law, she currently works as Of Counsel at the prestigious law firm LEGALWORKS – Gomes da Silva & Associados. She is a member of the Lawyers in Europe against Parental Abduction network and is a member of the Advisory Board of the Amber Alert Europe Foundation, contributing with her experience to the strengthening of legal and police cooperation at European level. She was also co-founder of the Portuguese Children’s Association (APCDV), together with Margarida Barroso, the late wife of the former President of the European Commission, José Manuel Durão Barroso. As President of APCDV, she has led several initiatives to raise awareness, research and support families, with emphasis on her intervention in emblematic cases such as the disappearance of Rui Pedro. She also participated in the Netflix documentary on the Madeleine McCann case, reinforcing her commitment to the international visibility of the cause.

Amaya Rodrigo

SOS Desaparecidos

Amaya Rodrigo is the international coordinator of SOS Desaparecidos, a nonprofit organisation that lobbies for the rights of the missing people in Spain, and aims for a European protocol and law reform that grants missing people and their families their lawful rights. SOS also provides first aid and help to the families after their loved one has gone missing, with a team of volunteer professionals, such as lawyers, therapists, criminalists, detectives. The organisation conducts extensive use of conventional and Social Media to spread awareness and to alert about individual cases.

Sarah Abel

EUROMASC

Sarah Abel is a project manager at EUROMASC and NTIM, specializing in Erasmus+ projects and European cooperation initiatives. She holds a BA (2018) and MA (2020) in political science from the University of Oslo, with a research focus on political polarization in the United States. Sarah first joined EUROMASC in 2019, contributing to various European projects through research and desk studies. She later worked as a research assistant at the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence before returning to EUROMASC in 2023 as a project manager. In this role, she is responsible for the design, coordination, and implementation of Erasmus+ projects, fostering strategic international partnerships, managing project activities, and ensuring alignment with EU policies and priorities. Fluent in Norwegian, English, Danish, and Swedish, with working comprehension of Italian, Sarah actively collaborates with international consortia to promote innovation and knowledge exchange within the Erasmus+ framework. She is dedicated to strengthening European cooperation in education, training, and research through high-impact projects.

Georgia Angelopoulou

The Smile of The Child

Georgia Angelopoulou is a psychologist currently working at “The Smile of the Child,” where she coordinates the Help & Support Lines Center. Her work focuses on crisis intervention, psychosocial support, and safeguarding vulnerable children and adults, including direct involvement in missing persons cases. She has extensive experience collaborating with municipalities, state authorities, and ministries in Greece, and regularly participates as a speaker in professional seminars and conferences on child protection and mental health. She is actively involved in the European project “Lost II – Research and Implementation,” which addresses missing children and adults, and she brings a systemic perspective to both prevention and response efforts. Her academic background includes a degree in Psychology from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, further training in Rorschach testing, and ongoing specialization in Systemic Psychotherapy. Through her role, Georgia provides not only direct psychological support but also contributes to the development of effective inter-agency response mechanisms. She is passionate about promoting awareness and evidence-based practices in the field of disappearances and mental health crises.

Sandrine Pépit

Missing Children Europe

Sandrine Pépit has a background in family law and psychology. She has considerable expertise in the field of international child protection. After having worked for the Central Authority of Quebec, she joined the Permanent bureau of the Hague Conference on private international law. For more than six years, she has worked for a French public agency where she conducted analyses and research on child protection and alternative care. She is the Director of ISS France, Paré programme (a national programme to combat sexual exploitation of children) and of 116000 Enfants Disparus, where she runs the hotline for missing children in France. In June 2021 she took up he role of Vice President of Missing Children Europe.

Constantino Kounas

ARLAB Basilicata

Constantino Kounas is LOST2 project coordinator on behalf of the lead partner ARLAB Basilicata.

Expert in managing European funding, specialized in vocational education and training, adult education, networking and coordination of transnational partnerships. Graduated in Economics and Business, he has a professional qualification as a business consultant expert in subsidized financing for businesses. He coordinates European projects and has collaborated with public bodies and European institutions for over 20 years.

Susana Nogueira

EfVET European Forum of Technical and Vocational Education and Training

Susana Nogueira is a Policy/Project Officer at EfVET since 2022. She has a degree in Criminal Psychology and an experience of 10 years in the coordination and management of Erasmus+ funded projects focused on an array of sectors, including Social Economy, Defence, Culture and Creative Industries, Inclusion and Technology. Moreover, as Policy Officer, Susana has been deeply involved in the development of documentation and tools aimed to advocate for the innovation and quality of Vocational Education and Training.

Susana also worked as Victims’ Support Technician, assisting victims of crimes (domestic violence and other forms of abuse) by providing them with psychological, social and legal support, and as volunteer psychologist at a local civil protection unit in Lisbon (Portugal), trained to provide psychological first aid and support to victims of accidents and catastrophes.