40th Annual National Missing Children's Day

In 1983, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed May 25th as National Missing Children’s Day. Each year, the U.S. Department of Justice commemorates Missing Children’s Day with a ceremony, scheduled on Wednesday, May 24, 2023, honoring the heroic and exemplary efforts of agencies, organizations, and individuals to protect children. Missing Children’s Day is dedicated to encouraging parents, guardians, caregivers, and others concerned with the well-being of children to make child safety a priority. It serves as a reminder to continue our efforts to reunite missing children with their families and an occasion to honor those dedicated to this noble cause. As part of this initiative, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a National Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest, which invites fifth-grade students to create a poster to include the theme “Bringing Our Missing Children Home”. Additional information about the 2023 poster contest will be coming soon! Please check back for updates. The **[Missing and Exploited Children’s Training and Technical Assistance Program](http://ncjtc.fvtc.edu/programs/PR00000004/missing-and-exploited-children-program)** works in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Justice to coordinate the National Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest and Missing Children's Day activities. This collaboration aims to increase knowledge about child safety and provide comprehensive services to support state and local efforts to build capacity and expand the use of evidence-based practices to prevent and respond to child abduction and exploitation. As part of the National Missing Children’s Day ceremony, the U.S. Department of Justice, through its Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, recognizes the extraordinary efforts of individuals, organizations, and agencies that have made a significant contribution to protect children between November 1, 2021 and October 31, 2022. Award nominations for the 2023 ceremony are now closed.