We believe that it is better to prevent a child from being abducted than having to seek their return. Although there are conventions and legal processes in place between some countries, even these do not move as quickly as any parent would want. Preventing an abduction may not stop future court proceedings, but at least in the meantime the children involved will stay in an environment they know.
We speak with lots of parents every year who are worried about their children being taken away from their home country. In 2019 parents asked us how they could stop their children being taken from the UK to 85 different countries. The countries parents were most concerned about were Poland, Spain, Pakistan, India, USA, Ghana and Germany.
If you are concerned that your child is at risk of being abducted there are a range of things you can do. Some of these are purely practical, such as being aware of the warning signs or collecting together important information. There will also be legal steps you can consider such as applying for relevant court orders. In emergency situations you may also be able to seek support from the police.
We have written our range of Prevention Guides so that you have easy access to this prevention information when you need it. You can download the Guides for free using the links below.
Even if you download and read through one of our Guides please call our advice line to discuss your situation and ask any questions you may have.
If the country you are looking for is not on the list, please call our advice line team. We can then share with you any knowledge we have and talk you through your options.
Prevention Guide if your child lives in England & Wales
Prevention Guide if your child lives in England & Wales (in Arabic)
Prevention Guide if your child lives in England & Wales (in Gujarati)
Prevention Guide if your child lives in England & Wales (in Polish)
Prevention Guide if your child lives in England & Wales (in Spanish)
Prevention Guide if your child lives in England & Wales (in Urdu)
