Child abduction

Child abduction is the abduction or kidnapping of a young child (or baby) by an older person.

Parental abduction

Parental child abduction, in simple terms, is the permanent removal of a child from their place of habitual residence (the place where their life is established) by one parent, without the permission of the other parent. A common parental child abduction scenario involves a divorced parent who lost a child custody battle. Depending on the laws of the country the child has been taken from, this may or may not constitute a criminal offence. From the UK, to remove a child for a period of 28 days or more without the permission of the other parent (or person with parental responsibilty), is a criminal offence.

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Serious problems can arise when parental abduction results in moving a child, with a parent, across an international border. The laws of the states are different, and a foreign child custody order may not be recognized.

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