Number Of Children Taken Without Permission From UK Continues To Rise

Online, August 2, 2011 (Newswire.com) - The number of British children taken abroad without permission by parents has risen by 10% in the past year according to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). Family experts at Charles Russell LLP warn that cases of parental child abduction are likely to increase during the summer holiday period.

The number of children taken to countries that have not signed up to the 1980 Hague Convention, an international treaty designed to safeguard the return of minors who are taken without permission from the UK, is up from 146 to 161 (source: FCO). However, there is a fear that these numbers could be even higher because of the cases that go unreported.

Sarah Whitten, partner at Charles Russell LLP, commented: "Parental child abduction is becoming an increasing problem as there are more international marriages and we expect to see more cases over the summer months when a parent pretends to take their child on holiday and then fails to return. With increasing numbers of international couples, more parents find themselves stranded after a break-up in a foreign country and desperately wanting to go back to their country of origin."

Countries not signed up to the 1980 Hague Convention are not compelled to abide by a UK court order. FCO statistics show that from non-Hague Convention countries in 2010/11, Pakistan was the most common destination of abducted children, followed by Thailand and India. The most common Hague Convention countries that children are abducted to are Spain and Poland followed by USA and France. Many also go to Ireland and Scotland.

Sarah Whitten concluded: "More needs to be done by the Government to prevent parents from taking children to countries which are not ratified by the Hague Convention.

"Normally, if a parent wishes to take their child to live in a new country they will either need the permission of the other parent or the English courts. Legal rights for the parent trying to obtain "custody" can be very limited. In some countries, especially those who have Sharia law, there will be an assumption that after a certain age children will live with their father. Even when they are young they will be expected to live with their mother in the country not outside it."

Sarah Whitten warns that the most obvious warning sign is the breakdown in a relationship. If one parent suddenly applies for a new passport for a child or appears to be trying to locate a birth certificate or other official documentation for a child this may be a clue. So can selling the family home, or putting belongings in storage or giving notice on a tenancy. A reduction in the time a child sees the parent they do not live with can also be a cause for concern. However, abductions can come as a complete shock to the parent left behind. If a parent is not in regular contact with his or her child he may not even find out for some time that the child has left the country.

Editors notes
About Charles Russell
Charles Russell is a top 50 full service law firm. Its clients range from international, FTSE and AIM listed businesses, to private companies, governments, not-for-profit organisations and private individuals.

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