If your child has been taken, or you’re worried they might be, you need clear advice and fast action. Our child abduction solicitors are here to help.
Finding out your child has been taken, or fearing that they might be, is one of the most frightening things a parent can face. You need someone who can act quickly, explain your options clearly, and stand firmly in your corner while you get your child back to safety. Our child abduction solicitors handle exactly this kind of case, from urgent domestic disputes to international Hague Convention proceedings, and we know how much speed and clarity matter when a child’s safety is at stake.
If you’re planning a lawful move abroad with your child and need the other parent’s agreement or the court’s permission, our child relocation law solicitors can help with that.
Taking a child out of the UK, or refusing to return them, without the consent of everyone with parental responsibility or a court order, is child abduction – even if the person taking them is a parent. It can also be a criminal offence under the Child Abduction Act 1984. You need the other parent’s written consent, or an order from the court, before taking your child abroad, including for a holiday, if there’s a child arrangements order in place or another parent shares parental responsibility.
We act immediately. When time matters, we move straight away – securing emergency court orders, alerting the police and Border Force through a port alert, and making sure the right people know within hours, not days.
We handle the international routes. Where a child has been taken abroad, we work through the Hague Convention 1980 and the International Child Abduction and Contact Unit to secure their return, and advise on countries outside the Convention where different rules apply.
We support you all the way through. From the first phone call to the final court hearing, we keep you informed, explain what’s happening in plain English, and stay by your side until your child is back where they belong.
Get in touch – call us on 0345 222 8 222 or send us a message through our website.
We talk it through – we’ll gather the key details straight away, by phone, video call or in person, so we understand exactly what’s happening.
We act fast – once we have what we need, we start moving on your case immediately, because in abduction cases, speed matters.
We know that in abduction cases, delay can make things much harder to put right.
We handle Hague Convention and cross-border cases
You’ll deal with the same experienced lawyer throughout your case.
We’re invested in doing right by you, not answering to outside shareholders
Clear, honest advice on costs from the outset, with no hidden surprises.
Our child abduction cases are led by Louise Halford, a founding director with extensive experience in international and domestic abduction law. Read more about Louise’s experience.
Taking a child out of the UK, or keeping them there without agreement, when someone else has parental responsibility or there’s a court order in place, is child abduction. It can be a criminal offence as well as a family law matter.
Yes. If a parent takes or keeps a child without the consent of everyone with parental responsibility, or without a court order, this is still abduction under UK law, even though they’re the child’s parent.
It’s a formal notice served by the police warning someone not to remove a child from the UK, or from a particular person’s care, without consent. If you receive one, or believe you need one served, get advice straight away – the situation is being treated as urgent.
A port alert flags Border Force and the police at UK ports and airports that a child should not be allowed to leave the country without specific checks. We can help you apply for one quickly if you’re worried a child is at immediate risk of being taken abroad.
The Hague Convention 1980 is an international agreement between participating countries that provides a legal route to secure the swift return of a child who has been wrongfully removed or retained abroad. We work with the International Child Abduction and Contact Unit to bring these cases forward.
If you have parental responsibility and haven’t agreed to the trip, you can apply to the court for an order preventing it, and in urgent cases, safeguards like a port alert can be put in place quickly.
If you’re worried about your child, don’t wait to find out where you stand. Whether your child has already been taken or you’re concerned it might happen, we can help you understand your options and act fast. There’s no pressure and no obligation.
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Call us on 0345 222 8 222
Email us at info@evolvefamilylaw.co.uk
