Act immediately if you believe your child is missing. Call 911, then the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST® (1-800-843-5678).

Click here for a complete list of actions to be taken by families in the initial stages of a missing child case. 

Federal legislation requires that state agencies must report a missing or abducted child to both law enforcement and NCMEC within 24 hours of receiving information about a missing child under their care.

Click here to learn more and access the reporting form for social workers and other state authorities.

In addition to contacting NCMEC, you should contact your local Missing Child Clearinghouse specific to your state/territory. An updated list of contact information can be found here.