Support services
holding hands
There is help available to assist you and your family when someone you know goes missing

A range of support services are available that may be helpful in providing you with support and guidance when someone you know goes missing. 

Everyone’s experience is unique. There is no ‘rule book’ when it comes to missing persons, but talking about it can go some way to managing day-to-day activities.

  • Families and Friends of Missing Persons Service (FFMPS), NSW Department of Services, NSW Department of Communities and Justice 

    FFMPS provides the following services to families and friends of missing people in NSW:

    • Free and confidential counselling, information and referrals at any stage of a missing person’s investigation.
    • Support by phone, face-to-face, or online;
    • Family support group meetings and events to bring families together;
    • A Facebook page and other missing persons' resources;
    • Information for service providers.

    Telephone: 1800 633 063

    Email: ffmps@justice.nsw.gov.au

    Website: https://victimsservices.justice.nsw.gov.au/how-can-we-help-you/programs-and-initiatives/families-and-friends-of-missing-persons-service.html

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/missing.persons.501

    Centrecare

    Centrecare is a WA based not-for-profit community service offering counselling and support services.

    Telephone: (08) 9325 6644

    Website: https://www.centrecare.com.au/

    Compassionate Friends

    Compassionate Friends is a service offering 24-hour phone support, grief support groups, and associated literature.

    Website: https://tcfa.org.au/ (lists state and territory contact details)

    Dads in Distress

    Dads in Distress offers a range of services that aims to provide help and hope, and harm prevention for separated Dads and their families.

    Website: https://www.parentsbeyondbreakup.com/dids

    GriefLine

    GriefLine is Australia's only dedicated grief helpline service that provides counselling support services free of charge to individuals and families. These include telephone support; online counselling; in-house one-on-one counselling; education and training and health support programs.

    Telephone: 1300 845 745 / (03) 9935 7400

    Website: https://griefline.org.au/

    Lifeline

    A national, 24-hour telephone counselling and referral service.

    Telephone: 13 11 14

    Website: https://www.lifeline.org.au/

    MacKillop Seasons

    In 2017 Good Grief transitioned to MacKillop Family Services a national community service organisation. Still a part of MacKillop Family Services today, the Seasons for Growth programs and services are now delivered under MacKillop Seasons.

    Telephone: 1800 379 569

    Website: https://www.mackillopseasons.org.au/

    Relationships Australia

    Relationships Australia is a leading provider of relationship support services for individuals, families and communities. They aim to support all people in Australia to achieve positive and respectful relationships; they offer counselling, mediation and education programs.

    Telephone: 1300 364 277

    Website: https://www.relationships.org.au/

    Beyond Blue

    Beyond Blue is a national, independent, not-for-profit organisation working to address issues associated with depression, anxiety and related substance misuse disorders in Australia.

    Telephone: 1300 224 636

    Website: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/

    SANE Australia

    SANE Australia provides information on mental illness and related topics. SANE Australia have a dedicated Helpline providing information about mental illness symptoms, treatments, medications, where to go for support and help for carers.

    Telephone: 1800 187 263

    Website: https://www.sane.org/

    Black Dog Institute

    The Black Dog Institute is dedicated to understanding, preventing and treating mental illness. Their website provides advice on how/where to get support.

    Website: https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/

    Dementia Australia

    A support service for individuals, families and friends affected by dementia.

    Telephone: 1800 100 500

    Website: https://www.dementia.org.au/

    13YARN

    National crisis support line for mob who are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping. They offer a confidential one-on-one yarning opportunity with a Lifeline-trained Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter who can provide crisis support 24/7.

    Telephone: 139 276

    Website: https://www.13yarn.org.au/

    MensLine

    Offers free confidential counselling and support for men.

    Telephone: 1300 789 978

    Website: https://mensline.org.au/

  • Our youth are most susceptible to go missing with a rate six times that of any other age group.

    Those aged between 13 and 17 account for half of all missing persons reported to police, equalling 19,000 reports each year.

    There are many reasons why youth go missing, including relationship breakdowns and mental health, or it could be as simple as going to a friend’s house and not letting anyone know where they are.

    In instances where there is a relationship breakdown, conflict in the home or at school, our youth may feel the need to go missing to escape the problem. To them going missing may be called alternate names such as running away, couch surfing, staying with friends, squatting or sleeping rough. These all link back to being a missing person when there are fears for that persons safety or welfare and their whereabouts are unknown.

    To prevent our youth from needing to run away from issues at home or in school, we have provided the below links to assist them in getting help.

    Kids Help Line

    Trained counsellors provide a 24-hour, confidential, anonymous, national telephone counselling service for young Australians aged 5-25. The site also includes information for parents, carers, and teachers.

    Telephone: 1800 551 800 (toll free)

    Website: https://kidshelpline.com.au/

    Headspace

    Headspace is the National Youth Mental Health Foundation providing early intervention mental health services to 12-25 year olds, along with assistance in promoting young peoples’ wellbeing. This covers four core areas: mental health, physical health, work and study support and alcohol and other drug services.

    You can receive support through the Headspace service via their website or by calling 1800 650 890.

    You can access all of Headspace’s information and services through their website: https://headspace.org.au/.

    ThinkUKnow

    ThinkUKnow is a free, evidence-based cyber safety program that provides presentations to Australian parents, carers and teachers and students. It provides information on the technologies young people use, the challenges they may face, and importantly, how they can be overcome.

    Presentations are delivered face to face or digitally.

    For more information on ThinkUKnow, visit their website: https://www.thinkuknow.org.au/

  • Finding ways to appropriately remember your missing person can be difficult. Consider visiting a public place of remembrance dedicated to missing persons:

    If you know of any other spaces dedicated to the memory of missing persons, please contact us so they can be added to our list. You may also decide to create your own temporary memorial that you can visit or use.

    Writing about your experience or keeping a diary can also help, and potentially help others going through a similar experience. While you may wish to write for therapeutic reasons, you may also want to consider sharing some of your ‘memos’ with newspapers, magazines, or on blogs so that others can better understand the uncertainty surrounding the disappearance of a family member or friend.