Police have appealed directly to a missing 16-year-old girl to come forward after she disappeared more than a month ago.

Concerns for Pamela Horvathova’s safety have increased since she was reported missing by her family on Christmas Eve. She has not been seen since 19 December.

Police said they believed the teenager, a member of the Roma community who is originally from Slovakia, was in Sheffield but too afraid to return to her home in the city.

“I want to make a direct appeal [to Pamela] that we are here to support her and that she is not in trouble,” said Supt Paul McCurry. “I genuinely believe she is still here.”

McCurry believes language barriers may be preventing anyone with information on Pamela from coming forward.

She does not own a phone, but McCurry said he strongly believed she had used a mobile phone and he asked anybody who had given her access to one to contact police. “Somewhere, somebody knows where Pamela is and I need them to come forward. She has a bright future ahead of her and I want to make sure she is OK,” he said.

South Yorkshire police issued the appeal in a news conference at Fir Vale school on Monday night. Tensions between students at the school led to rioting in September, in an area of Sheffield that has seen community conflict.

CCTV footage shows Pamela leaving school on 18 December wearing a black jacket and hoodie, blue jeans and trainers.

The Roma community hosted events over the weekend to raise awareness of her disappearance. South Yorkshire police have driven a van around Sheffield displaying Pamela’s photo and a message in Slovak appealing for information.

McCurry said the Roma community had a “historical lack of trust in the police”, but that the van campaign was a positive sign of them working together to find the teenager.

The last confirmed sighting of Pamela was at the iceSheffield rink on 19 December. Police divers have searched rivers and canals.

“Every bit of information we can get, hopefully someone will get it to us and assist us,” McCurry said.