Missing Children in France: 112 Reports a Day, What You Really Need to Know

112. This is the number of missing children in France each day. Not per year. Not per month. Every day. You read this number and your stomach tightens, especially if you are pregnant or have just had your baby. You think, "How is this possible?", "Is my child in danger?", "What would I do if this happened to me?"

Breathe. We will break down this number together, without minimizing it but also without terrifying you. Because behind these 112 children per day, there is a reality that is more nuanced than what sensational headlines suggest — and above all, there are concrete things to know that can, one day, change everything.

Missing Children in France: Where Does the Number of 112 a Day Come From?

On May 26, 2026, on the occasion of International Missing Children’s Day, the Ministry of the Interior and the High Commissioner for Children published their report. The conclusion is clear: 40,953 disappearances of minors were reported in 2025, which is nearly 112 children per day.

This is an increase of 6.4% in one year, breaking the downward trend observed since 2021. In other words, after several years of improvement, the curve is heading in the wrong direction again. And that is the real alarm signal.

As Sarah El Haïry, High Commissioner for Children, stated, this number should prevent us from looking away, because behind every statistic, there is a family plunged into anxiety.

Why is the Number of Missing Children in France Increasing?

The observed increase mainly concerns runaways and worrying disappearances. Child welfare professionals also warn about the growing impact of social media, bad encounters, and certain situations of family vulnerability.

The Reality of Missing Children in France: 95% of Cases are Runaways

Here’s the information you must keep in mind before panicking: the vast majority of these disappearances are runaways, and the overwhelming majority of these children are found.

Specifically, out of the 40,953 reports in 2025:

• 38,706 are runaways (95% of the total), an increase of 6.2%
• 1,629 are classified as "worrying" disappearances, a significant increase of 18.6%
• 618 are parental abductions, a decrease of 7.1%

So it is not a wave of abductions by strangers, as the collective imagination fears. But — and this is where it remains serious — a runaway is never trivial. As the association 116 000 Enfants Disparus reminds us, a runaway is never just a "teenage whim." It often reveals deep suffering, a danger, or the influence of a third party.

The Most Worrying Part: Increasingly Younger Children

If there is one number that should really alert you, it is this one. Worrying disappearances — those where the child's safety seems genuinely threatened — now primarily involve, for the first time, minors under 15 years old.

And the runaways themselves are getting younger: nearly 38% involve children under 15, a proportion that has been steadily rising since 2020. Nearly one in three runaways is linked to the influence of a third party — a bad encounter, real or virtual.

The point that is hardest to read, and that we must name: among young girls, sexual exploitation is presumed or confirmed in nearly one in three cases. This is unbearable, and this is precisely why these situations require an immediate response.

Child Disappearance: What to Do? The Life-Saving Reflex

If you remember only one thing from this article, let it be this, because it can literally save a life.

You should NEVER wait 24 or 48 hours to report a child's disappearance.

This is a persistent misconception, shared by many parents and even professionals. Many believe there is a "legal delay" to respect before alerting the police. This is completely false. The report must be made without delay, immediately, to the police or gendarmerie.

Why is this so crucial? Because the first hours are decisive for finding a child. Every hour lost hesitating reduces the chances of bringing them home safe and sound.

The Number 116 000: Know It by Heart

In France, there is a free emergency number, available throughout Europe, dedicated to missing children: 116 000.

Managed by the association 116 000 Enfants Disparus (Children's Rights), it supports families in all scenarios: runaway, parental abduction, worrying disappearance. In 2025, calls to this number surged by 18.2%. It’s a reflex to have, just like knowing 15 or 18. Write it down somewhere, save it in your phone: 116 000.

Why Talk About Missing Children in France to Future Parents?

Because protecting your child does not start at age 12, on the day of a potential runaway. It begins with the bonds you create, the listening, the trust, and the ability to spot early "weak signals" of distress. And it also starts with knowing, right now, what to do and who to call the day things go wrong.

You don’t need to live in fear. The world is not a place where 112 strangers snatch children every morning. But you deserve to have the right information rather than the distorted versions that circulate. Knowing the reality means not panicking for the wrong reasons — and reacting quickly for the right ones.