Family Law
Child Abduction Solicitors in Brighton
The fear that your child has been taken or might be taken without your consent is one of the most stressful and frightening experiences a parent can face. Fast, decisive action is critical.
Family Law
Urgent Support for Child Abduction Cases
The fear that your child has been taken or might be taken without your consent is one of the most stressful and frightening experiences a parent can face. Whether your child has been abducted and taken to another country, or you believe there is an immediate risk of child abduction, you need urgent, expert legal advice. Fast, decisive action is critical to protecting your child and securing their safe return.
Our Brighton-based family law solicitors are specialist child abduction solicitors with extensive experience in child abduction law. We have handled numerous child abduction cases and know how to secure emergency court orders to prevent child abduction and use international agreements to bring children home. We understand the panic and distress you are feeling, and we are here to provide immediate, clear-headed support and robust legal action.
We can help with
- Emergency court orders to prevent abduction
- International child abduction and the Hague Convention
- Securing the return of a child taken abroad
- Preventing a child from being removed from the UK
- Port alert orders and passport restrictions
- 24/7 emergency support
The Law
What Is Child Abduction?
Child abduction is the wrongful removal of a child or retention of a child from the person who has lawful care of them. It is a serious criminal offence under the Child Abduction Act 1984 and is treated with the utmost urgency by the courts.
There are two main types of child abduction:
- Parental child abduction: The most common form. Occurs when one parent takes a child or keeps the child away from the other parent who has lawful control, without consent. This includes taking a child out of the country or preventing their return after a holiday.
- Abduction by a Third Party: Involves a person not connected to the child taking them away, which is a very serious criminal matter.
It can be considered child abduction if a parent or guardian, without the other parent’s consent: takes a child abroad (even for a holiday), fails to return a child from a holiday, keeps the child after a contact visit, or prevents a child from returning to their primary carer.
Key warning signs
- Other parent talking about moving abroad
- Applying for or obtaining the child's passport without consent
- Selling property or withdrawing large sums of money
- Child not returned after a contact visit
- Threats to take the child away
International Law
The Hague Convention on International Child Abduction
The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction is an international treaty that provides a legal framework for the prompt return of children who have been wrongfully removed or retained in a country that is a signatory to the Convention.
If your child has been taken to a country that is a signatory to the Hague Convention, we can make an urgent application for their return. The Convention requires the courts of the country where the child has been taken to order the child’s return to their home country, unless specific exceptions apply.
We have extensive experience in Hague Convention proceedings and can act quickly and decisively to secure your child’s return. Time is of the essence in these cases, and early legal action significantly improves the prospects of a successful outcome.
Steps we can take immediately
- Apply for an emergency prohibited steps order
- Seek a port alert to prevent the child leaving the UK
- Make a Hague Convention application for return
- Apply for a wardship order
- Seek an order for disclosure of the child's whereabouts
- Liaise with international authorities and foreign lawyers