The study identified two types of absence: the “runaways” profile (those who ran away or stayed out) and the “friends” profile (those missing to be with friends). There were variations in levels of risk for different sub-groups within the sample. Risks included immediate risks of victimization, sexual exploitation (including prostitution), offending and substance misuse. A longer-term risk of detachment was identified among those going missing often, involving high levels of non-school attendance, detachment from caregivers, and involvement in offending and in substance misuse. The article discusses difficulties in assessing risk and explores approaches to managing risk for young people who go missing from substitute care. Careful assessment of young people’s histories of going missing, their motivations, the types of places they go and the people with whom they are in contact should help practitioners gauge risks and appropriate responses with greater certainty. Figure, references