Australian Federal Police

You might not think of yourself as 'missing' - but what about the people who care about you?

Whether your plans have changed, you're running late, or you just need to take some time out - whatever the reason - just take the time to let someone know.

20,000 young people are reported missing in Australia every year - that's a couple of people, like you, every hour of every day. National Missing Persons week is an annual campaign which aims to raise awareness of the issues and impacts associated with missing persons in Australia.

In 2012, the campaign takes a preventative approach with the theme of

- focussing primarily on young people as one of the key groups at risk of going missing in Australia.

This campaign aims to reach out to young people and encourage them to let someone know where they are, or where they are going, in order to reduce the impact of missing persons in the community.

The campaign material highlights scenarios where a teenage is encouraged to notify family or friends - someone - when they are running late, if their plans change, or even if they need to 'take a break', and illustrates that if the people who care about you don't know where you are, you could be reported missing - an outcome which could be avoided through simply letting someone know.