*For assistance on a case: Police, searching or recovery agencies may contact ou office directly. Parents are encouraged to file a missing child(ren) report with their local police agency before contacting our office.

*For information: Contact our office directly for investigative and general research information, statistics, annual reports, directories, resources and materials.

In 1985, the Canadian Ministry of the Soliciter General of Canada announced a multi-faceted program to help police investigate missing children cases in Canada. One component of the program was the establishment of a Missing Children's Registry officially opened by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, August 15, 1986.

In July, 1991, Canada Customs amalgamated the Project Return program with the Registry program. In the same year, the Registry assumed the responsibility for the administration of the Department of Justice Canada Travel program.

In May, 1992, the implementation of the federal government's action plan for children Brighter Futures contributed to the expansion of services. The Registry's services were expanded to include a photo aging service, original and investigative research, enhances international networking and the development and distribution of an active repository of information for parents, children and police on the issue.

In April, 1993, Employment and Immigration Canada, now known as Citizenship and Immigration Canada, joined the Missing Children's Registry program.

The Program soon changed their name to "Our Missing Children". This program was made up of three government departments - The R.C.M.P., Missing Children's Registry; Revenue Canada, International Project Return; and Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

In November, 1996, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade joined the known tri-force to officially finalize the "Our Missing Children" Program.

Although each department has their own function, "our missing children" operates as one unit under one roof as Canada's National Clearinghouse for missing children. In this capacity, the unit is linked to all Canadian police and related agencies through the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC), U.S. police agencies through the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), and most foreign police agencies through Interpol.

Objectives

• To provide an investigative assistance service to all Canadian and foreign police agencies who request the services of the Registry.
• To assist police and searching agencies to locate, recover and return missing children and youth to their proper guardian.
• To conduct research studies related to missing children and youth issues.
• To analyze and report findings gleaned from the Canadian Police Information Centre and Missing Children's Registry's database on missing children and youth.
• To produce and disseminate information relevant to the missing children and youth issues to police, searching agencies, government, media and the public.

• To research, collect and analyse information and national statistical data on missing children.
• To provide law-enforcement agencies with a source to quickly obtain accurate information on the status of any missing child.
• To monitor the CPIC Missing Persons File to request or provide follow-up information and action on missing children investigations.
• To assist law-enforcement agencies and other interested groups and organizations in obtaining information on missing children.
• To facilitate the correlation of information by publishing documents such as national bulletins on missing children.
• To coordinate and exchange information on prevention programs within the Canadian police community and groups searching for missing children.
• To coordinate the Travel/Reunification Program which provides for the return of children abducted in Canada by a parent, using routes established by sponsoring companies.
• To develop unique expertise in the area of missing children such as developing psychological profiling of paedophile and other socially deviant individuals who may be involved in the abduction/kidnapping of children.
• To promote its networking and collaborative efforts with all countries but especially those belonging to the INTERPOL Network and those which are signatories to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.
• To contribute to international efforts to obtain support for a cooperative, global response to the issues of missing, abused and exploited children.
• To develop specialized training and provide educational resources for police.

• coordinates the investigations of missing children;
• maintains and monitors files on missing children;
• maintains and analyzes national data on the nature and scope of missing children;
• conducts investigative and original research to assist police both nationally and internationally
• acts as an information centre producing and distributing both nationally and internationally, bulletins, reports, newsletters, directories, resource materials and the findings of research studies;
• works closely with Revenue Canada, Customs and Excise, Project Return, in the investigation of missing children cases;
• works closely with Employment and Immigation Canada in the investigation of missing children's cases
• administers Department of Justice, Canada, Travel Program;
• provides a photo aging service to all police and searching agencies who request the service;
• networks and provides resource information to search and recovery agencies, the public and cooperate sectors involved in the search, recovery of missing children and related issues;
• provides a network link for international investigative and information exchange;
• cooperates with searching agencies in the search, recovery and return of the missing child.