Extensive studies and statistics highlight that cases of child abduction increase during the summer.

The psychological impact on children can be devastating and long-lasting - and it is vital to obtain the permission of everyone with parental responsibility for a child before taking them abroad.

Every year there are around 1,000 cases of British children under the age of sixteen being taken abroad by one parent without the other parent’s permission. This is a criminal offence if the offending parent has not obtained a Court’s permission.

Many cases see children whisked away to countries that are not a signatory of the Hague Convention on International child abduction, an international agreement made in 1980.

Non-signatories of the Hague Convention extend to over sixty countries where there are no international systems to help parents find their children. They include Afghanistan, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Saudia Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Zimbabwe.

Tell-tale signs

Preventative steps

If you receive a threat of child abduction or if your child has been abducted:

Guiding you through this complex process

Jones Myers is recognised nationally and internationally for managing cases of parental child abduction.

This includes children being wrongfully removed from England & Wales and unlawfully retained in a different jurisdiction - or being abducted from another jurisdiction to England & Wales and illegally retained.

Our consistently high success rate spans countries both inside and outside of the Hague Convention. We are highly experienced in liaising with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Home Office along with officials, police forces and politicians at the highest level at home and overseas.

Helpful websites include International parental child abduction - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and Reunite | International Child Abduction Centre | Child Abduction Charity

Author: Kate Banerjee