The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has launched a new child abduction prevention campaign, after recent figures revealed a 10% increase in the number of children being abducted by a parent to a country that has not signed up the Hague convention on international parental child abduction.
The 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention applies typically where one parent has moved a child abroad without the consent of the other parent and without the permission of a court. In such a case, the “left behind” parent may apply through the Hague system for the prompt return of the child and a “return order” will be issued unless the “taking parent” can establish that one of the exceptions found in the Convention should be applied.
The FCO has revealed that last year it was involved in parental child abduction cases in 97 different 'non Hague' countries. The actual number of cases is likely to be much higher, as many abductions are simply never reported.
The campaign aims to raise awareness of the problem, and to let parents know what they can do if they suspect their child might be at risk.
