Vital procedures to follow in international child abduction

By Partner, Anthony Parrish from Jones Myers Children’s Department  

Disturbingly, 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.

Extensive studies highlight that cases of child abduction – whose psychological, long-term impact on children can be devastating – increase during the summer months and school holidays.

In the video below, which is accompanied with a transcript, I outline the process that needs to be followed in cases of international child abduction.

This includes the process for parents whose children have been taken and the procedure for parents/parties who are accused of abducting the children.

Jones Myers Children’s Department is recognised nationally and internationally for its extensive expertise in international family law and its track record in managing cases of  child abduction.

This includes situations where children are wrongfully removed from England & Wales and unlawfully retained in a different jurisdiction, or where they are wrongfully removed from another jurisdiction to England & Wales and or unlawfully retained.

Swift action is needed in child abduction cases, and seeking skilled international family law guidance is crucial.

Our consistently high success rate spans countries both inside and outside of the 1980 Hague Convention, which is an international agreement containing a number of signatory countries following the same procedure in responding to Child Abduction.  

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.

Jones Myers extensive expertise spans representing parents whose child has been taken to either a country outside of the jurisdiction of England and Wales or brought or retained in the jurisdiction of England and Wales without the other parent’s consent or knowledge, referred to as the applicant, and parentswho are accused of abducting the children, referred to at the respondent.

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

For queries on International Child Abduction or any aspect of children law or family law, call Jones Myers at Leeds 0113 246 0055, Harrogate 01423 276104, or York 01904 202550. Visit www.jonesmyers.co.uk, email info@jonesmyers.co.uk or tweet @helpwithdivorce

Jones Myers blog is ranked in the UK’s Best 25 family law blogs and websites to follow in 2025.

Image courtesy of ArminEP, Pixabay