If you have a child, and you are in a relationship that’s breaking down or has already done so, you may be worried that there is a risk your children could be abducted.
This can be especially worrying if you think your partner is considering leaving the country with your child. Or perhaps you currently live in the UK and want to return to your home country with your child, but your partner doesn’t want you to. Whatever the situation, you need to know your rights and the best steps to take to protect yourself and your child.
Professional specialists in protecting your child and your rights
If you think there is a real risk of imminent abduction to your child, act as soon as possible to prevent it. Firstly, contact the police, who can put all air and sea ports on alert.
Then seek urgent legal advice and start the legal process. Our dedicated team of specialist lawyers are passionate about protecting children from abduction. Approachable, sympathetic and extremely knowledgeable in this area of law, we can advise you on your options and provide the information you need to make the best decisions for you and your child.
It may be a criminal offence if your partner removes the child without your permission, and you might be able to secure a court order to restrict where your child can be taken, and prevent his or her passport from being issued. We can advise and assist you with any aspect of preventing abduction.
What if your child has already been taken?
If your partner has already taken your child, acting now is absolutely essential. Success in recovering your child can depend on where they’ve been taken. If they’ve been taken against your wishes to a Hague Convention country or anywhere in the European Union, you should register the abduction immediately with the Department of Constitutional Affairs, Child Abduction Unit.
Putting you and your child first
The quality of our advice in family law has helped us achieve top ranking from Chambers and The Legal 500, the two leading independent legal guides. They rank us the best family law team in Devon and Cornwall, but we help people across the UK.
