International Missing Children's Day
Observed every May 25, International Missing Children’s Day raises global awareness about missing children, offers support to affected families, and promotes child safety measures.
On this day, we think of children who remain missing and celebrate those who have returned home, while encouraging the public to learn more and take action to help bring missing children to safety.
In 2025, the National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains (NCMPUR) reported 34,189 missing children occurrences across Canada. Behind every report is a child, family, and community facing uncertainty and risk. Many cases are resolved quickly, but others require coordinated public awareness and community support to help bring children to safety.
40 Years of Helping Children Return to Safety
In 2026, the Missing Children Society of Canada (MCSC) marks 40 years of working alongside police, families, and communities to help return missing children to safe places.
While technology and investigations have evolved significantly over four decades, the need for rapid, coordinated response has never changed.
CEO Amanda Pick sums it up: “If you are not in a safe place, life changes.”
That reality impacts thousands of children, youth, and families across Canada every year. When a child goes missing, every moment matters — and timely information sharing can help reduce exposure to harm.
Children and youth go missing for many reasons. Some are abducted during family disputes, at times being taken outside Canada. Others are lured online or through exploitation-related activity. Young children may wander into dangerous situations near rivers, parks, or forests. Many vulnerable youth who run away are also at increased risk of violence, trafficking, exploitation, mental health crisis, or unsafe living conditions.
When a child goes missing, families, loved ones, police, and communities are left searching for answers and working together to bring them home safely.
You can help change the outcome for these children and their families.
Why It Matters
Most missing children cases do not meet the strict criteria required for an AMBER Alert, despite many children still facing serious risks including exploitation, trafficking, violence, or unsafe conditions. MCSC Rescu helps support police-authorized public awareness for cases that may otherwise receive limited public visibility.
MCSC Rescu is a free public safety platform that helps connect police, communities, and the public during missing persons investigations. Through the platform, users can receive geographically relevant alerts, view verified case information, share awareness through their networks, and securely submit tips.
Every additional person connected to the network increases community awareness and strengthens the ability to support time-sensitive investigations.
When every moment counts, coordinated community awareness matters.
Community members have helped identify missing children after recognizing them through MCSC Rescu alerts and notifying police. In several cases, timely public awareness has contributed to children being safely located.
Every pair of eyes can make a difference.
Get Involved
Every child deserves to be safe — and every missing child deserves a coordinated response.
At the Missing Children Society of Canada (MCSC), community participation plays an important role in helping support investigations and bring children home safely.
Here’s how you can take action today:
📲 Activate MCSC Rescu
Add MCSC Rescu to your phone and register for alerts in your area. The free public safety platform helps share police-authorized missing persons information quickly with communities when cases are active.
💬 Spread Awareness
Follow us on social media and share our posts. Timely awareness can help expand investigative reach and connect critical information to the right people faster.
🎁 Donate or Fundraise
Support coordinated missing persons response efforts across Canada. Make a donation or start a fundraiser to support MCSC’s work with police, families, and communities.
🤝 Partner With Us
Are you part of a business, school, or community organization? Partner with MCSC to raise awareness and strengthen coordinated community response efforts.
Together, we can help bring missing children to safety.
➡️ Activate MCSC Rescu and register for alerts
➡️ Follow and share awareness: Facebook | X | Instagram | LinkedIn
➡️ Support the mission: Donate Now - Missing Children Society of Canada