Brussels: 'Hope For Children' CRC Policy Center and Missing Children Europe (MCE) brought together policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and child protection experts in Brussels on May 28 and 29 for a Conference entitled 'Safeguarding Missing Children: Sexual Violence and Mental Health Resilience', organised under the auspices of the Cyprus Presidency of the EU.
According to Cyprus News Agency, 'Hope For Children' stated in a press release that the event was hosted by the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Cyprus to the EU. The conference explored the intersection of child disappearance with grooming, sexual violence, and mental health. Discussions highlighted that children rarely disappear in isolation, as running away or going missing can often be linked to deeper experiences of abuse, grooming, mental health issues, or lack of safety.
The conference was initiated with contributions from key figures including Elena Ioannou, Attach© Social Policy and Equality at the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Cyprus to the European Union; Clea Hadjistephanou Papaellina, Deputy Minister of Social Welfare of Cyprus; Andria Neocleous, Executive Director of Hope For Children; and Sandrine P©pit, Vice-President of Missing Children Europe. Loucas Fourlas, a Member of the European Parliament (EPP, Cyprus), also contributed through a video message.
The event delved into the issue through three thematic panels. The first panel emphasized police investigations and cross-border cooperation, stressing the need for harmonised data collection to enhance responses in missing children cases across Europe. Representatives from law enforcement and academia from Greece, Belgium, and Finland contributed to this discussion.
The second panel focused on online grooming and digital risks for children, featuring child protection experts from Belgium, Cyprus, and Serbia. The discussions underscored the growing challenges in safeguarding children in digital environments.
The final panel examined mental health issues as both a driver and a consequence of disappearance, exploring how psychological well-being intersects with identity, belonging, and vulnerability, especially for marginalised young people. The panel included insights from clinical psychology, child helplines, youth advocacy, and mental health policy, highlighting the complexities that increase risks for young people.
Interactive case-study sessions were held in the afternoon to foster practical exchanges and cross-sector collaboration aimed at better protecting children at risk.
Participants included representatives of MCE member organizations from 27 member states, such as the Association for the Prevention and Handling of Violence in the Family (SPAVO). Both Hope For Children and SPAVO have been MCE members since 2011, jointly operating the European Hotline for Missing Children (116000) in Cyprus.
Participants called for enhanced cross-border cooperation, better harmonised data collection, and child-centred support systems that recognise the risks leading to disappearance and the harm experienced by children while missing.
In closing, Aagje Ieven, Secretary-General of Missing Children Europe, emphasized the need for robust data and persuasive arguments to advocate for significant changes. Andria Neocleous, Executive Director of Hope For Children, highlighted the conference's role in showcasing essential child safeguarding interventions and best practices, demonstrating MCE's potential as a platform for sharing and applying these practices across the EU. They both expressed gratitude to participants and stressed the importance of strong evidence in driving policy change, as concluded in the press release.