I think my child has been abducted – what can I do?

Child abduction occurs when a child is wrongfully removed or retained from their “place of habitual residence”.

Unless there has been a court order to the contrary, all parties with parental responsibility must give permission before children can be moved abroad.

If this consent has not been obtained, then your child has been abducted which is a criminal offence.

If you suspect your spouse is going to take your child abroad without your permission it is extremely important to obtain specialist legal advice from solicitors such as Austin Kemp as soon as possible. We can act quickly and put all the necessary stops in place. It is also imperative to get expert legal advice as soon as possible if your child has not been brought back to you at the agreed time after a trip away. Speed is of the essence in these cases and Austin Kemp can provide you with all the specialist legal advice and expertise you will need.

As child abduction is a criminal offence, it is also very important that you contact the police if you suspect a child abduction has taken place.

For more information on this subject please visit our Legal Library.

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For more information on your options call our team on 0845 862 5001 or email mail@austinkemp.co.uk.

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