International Child Abduction

In this traumatic situation, we can give quick, practical advice on how to help secure the safe return of your child.

When one parent removes a child from the country where they normally live (or retains the child in a different country) without the consent of the other this can constitute International Child Abduction. International law can protect children involved in such situations, and we can act quickly to secure the safe return of your child. We recommended that you take immediate advice in such situations.

We are able to assist the parent who has not consented to removal of the child from the country with an application to Court for the return of their child. Legal protection is available in the form of a Convention known as the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (1980).

The Convention is a treaty which provides a procedure to facilitate the prompt return of abducted children. The states which are party to the Convention have agreed that a child who is habitually resident in one party state and who has been either removed to, or retained in, another party state, in breach of a person’s rights of custody/residence, should be swiftly returned to the country of habitual residence. Over 60 countries have signed the Convention, including many European countries, the USA and Australia.