A British child is abducted by a parent to a non-Hague Convention country every other day, according to Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) research
This marks a 10% rise in new cases in 2010/2011. Last year, the FCO handled cases in 97 non-Hague countries, ranging from Zimbabwe to Afghanistan.
If a country is not a signatory to the 1980 Hague Convention on international child abduction, it is difficult for the FCO to negotiate the return of the child as there is no legal framework in place.
The FCO has launched a prevention campaign ahead of the school holidays—a peak time of year. It is warning parents to be on the lookout for warning signs such as constant difficulty in being able to see the child, a sudden interest in a child’s passport or a change in accommodation or work circumstances.
Clare Renton, a barrister at 29 Bedford Row Chambers, who specialises in international child abduction cases, says: “The number of children involved in cross border disputes is increasing year by year with cheap air flights and millions of international families in England.
“In addition to more distant countries, many children are wrongly removed to Scotland and Ireland. Where the other state is within the EU or a signatory to the Hague Convention of 1980, the left behind parent has a good prospect of finding the child and obtaining an order for return. The applicant receives public funding in England.”
Otherwise, the outlook is “bleak”, she says.
“That said most abducting parents are mothers taking their children back to where the mother perceives that she and the child will have a better life. They often deserve sympathy and are being asked to return to dire circumstances. The courts listen to these abductors and to the children’s views too. A return order often appears harsh on the individuals, some of whom did not even know that they were doing anything wrong.”
