Section 329.30  Reporting Missing, Runaway, and Abducted Children

a)         Initial Report

1)         Whenever a child or youth is believed to be missing or on runaway, or to have been abducted, from a placement facility, 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 caseworker learns the child or youth is missing, the caseworker shall, within 24 hours of notification, 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 child or youth most recently resided.  The caseworker shall provide as much identifying information about the child or youth as possible to police authorities, including:

A)        a photograph of the child or youth; and

B)        whether the child or youth's fingerprints are on file with the Illinois State Police;

C)        a description of the child or youth's physical features, such as height, weight, sex, ethnicity, race, eye color; and

D)        endangerment information, such as the child or youth's pregnancy status, prescription medications, suicidal tendencies, vulnerability to being sex trafficked, and other health or risk factors.

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).

b)         Other Reports

In addition to the required notifications in the initial report listed in subsection (a), the caseworker shall also notify the following within 24 hours after the initial report:

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

2)         the juvenile court of jurisdiction; and

3)         the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and Child Find of America. The caseworker shall provide as much identifying information about the child as possible to NCMEC authorities, including:

A)        a photograph of the child or youth;

B)        whether the child or youth's fingerprints are on file with the Illinois State Police;

C)        a description of the child or youth's physical features, such as height, weight, sex, ethnicity, race, eye color; and

D)        endangerment information, such as the youth's pregnancy status, prescription medications, suicidal tendencies, vulnerability to being sex trafficked, and other health or risk factors.

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 or youth:

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

ii)         relatives, including the child's or youth's parents;

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

iv)        close friends and classmates of the child or youth, 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 or youth attended if there is knowledge that the child or youth had a close relationship with persons at that school; and

vi)        other staff of the Department or contributing child welfare agency who might have knowledge of the possible location of the child or youth;

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

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

D)        requesting any of the persons listed in subsection (c)(1)(A) to contact the caseworker if they subsequently receive any information about the child's location.

2)         The child's or youth's caseworker shall maintain regular communication with law enforcement and NCMEC on the status of the missing person report.  Whenever the caseworker obtains new information that may lead to the whereabouts of the child or youth, the caseworker shall immediately report the information to the local police, NCMEC, and any other appropriate local law enforcement agency.

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

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

(Source:  Amended at 48 Ill. Reg. 12218, effective August 1, 2024)