The 116000 European Number for Missing Children has been active in Italy since 25th May 2009, the first International Missing Children’s Day. It is an emergency number that the Ministry of the Interior fully entrusted it to Telefono Azzurro. 

The 116000 hotline receives reports related to missing children (runaways, abduction, kidnapping), possible sightings, or findings, as well as offering support to the affected people. After gathering the necessary information, it is possible to identify the local law enforcement through a ministerial database in order to immediately forward the reports received and signed by the Case Manager.

The 116000 service works in partnership with the 116000 network of the other Member States part of the European network Missing Children Europe (MCE). As a result, if a report regards a situation taking place in one of the countries with the unique number, the case can be automatically forwarded to the respective hotline, in order to facilitate intervention and finding of the missing children (cross-border cooperation).