'Young people go missing for a reason, try to understand that. When we go, don't be angry or make us feel bad.'
Josie Allan is the senior policy and partnerships manager of national charity Missing People, who work with the county's police force on missing persons cases.
With almost 3,000 missing children reports made in Suffolk in the last year, Ms Allan labelled the county's figures as "concerning".
"Each time a child goes missing, it's a warning sign that something is wrong in their life," she said.
Missing children cases constituted 73% of the past year's missing persons figures, with 2,775 reports made.
This number, however, was generated by only 719 individuals.
"When they go missing on multiple occasions, it's an indicator that something is going wrong," Ms Allan added.
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"Every chance they go missing is an opportunity to find out what's going on and prevent it from happening again."
According to Suffolk Constabulary's Detective Inspector Brett Harris, the "majority" of children that go missing are from care backgrounds, including foster care or children's homes.
In a report entitled 'Children's views on being reported missing from care,' the Missing People charity explored why "looked after" children are disproportionately likely to be reported missing.
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Findings from these conversations included that young people want carers, social workers and the police to avoid making assumptions about them.
One young person said:
"Talk to me, get to know me, don't judge me, understand why I might go missing and help me manage those feelings and situations before it gets out of hand.
Young people go missing for a reason, try to understand that. When we go, don't be angry or make us feel bad."
The Missing People charity's Runaway Helpline (116 000) is available 365 days a year, 9am to 11pm, to provide free, confidential support to any child that's thinking about going missing or who is already away from home.
They promise to always listen without judgement and help young people to think through their options.
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