Parental Child Abduction

Police in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have recorded approximately 150 offences of parental child abduction in each of the last three years (2012/13 to 2014/15)¹. Action Against Abduction’s research found that nearly two thirds of child abductions by a parent recorded by police involved the child being taken abroad².

Many more cases of international parental child abduction are not reported to, or recorded by, police. Reunite, another charity specialising in international parental child abduction, opened 520 new abduction cases in 2013³. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office dealt with 553 international parental child abduction and child custody cases in 2013/14; double the number recorded a decade ago⁴.

• Nearly three-quarters of children abducted abroad by a parent are aged between 0 and 6 years-old².
• Roughly equal numbers are boys and girls².
• Two-thirds of children are from minority ethnic groups².
• 70% of abductors are mothers. The vast majority have primary care or joint primary care for the child abducted⁵.
• Many abductions occur during school holidays when a child is not returned following a visit to the parent’s home country (so-called ‘wrongful retentions’)⁶.

Studies with professionals who work with abducted children, and with adults who were abducted earlier in life, indicate that children can experience severe trauma, often continuing into adult life. This includes physical, emotional, behavioural and social impacts including difficulties forging relationships as an adult⁷. Our Sarah-Cecilie film gives a vivid insight into one woman’s experience.