Child abduction checklist

If your child has been abducted or you fear that abduction may occur in the future, it would be useful to have on hand as much of the following information as possible.

On the child

• full name
• date and place of birth
• passport number, date and place of issue
• photographs or a physical description
• any entitlement to a passport other than a British passport

On the person who has taken the child

• full name (including any prior or maiden name and any aliases if applicable)
• date and place of birth
• passport number, date and place of issue
• photograph or a physical description
• occupation
• probable date of departure
• departure information (ie flight, train, ferry)
• details of ties to a foreign country, such as the names, addresses and telephone numbers of
• relatives, friends and business contacts.

Copies of documents

• any agreements or court orders which relate to the child
• child's birth certificate
• marriage certificate or divorce decree

Find a solicitor
It is necessary to emphasise that the Official Solicitor is not able to act as solicitor to individual members of the general public as though he were a solicitor in private practice. Thus, he cannot enter into a normal solicitor/client contract with individuals who seek the services of his office and so he will not respond to enquiries about their every day legal problems from individuals who are seeking free legal advice for their own benefit.

• Law Society
• Community Legal Service
• CAB advice on using a solicitor

The ICACU Referral List of Specialist Solicitors
The ICACU, working in collaboration with the Law Society and others, has introduced a new scheme for accreditation of solicitors dealing with international child abduction work. It is the intention that the criteria for being added to the list should be transparent, and should demonstrate that both the firm and the individual solicitor should have the resources and competencies required for this demanding work.

Criteria for admission to ICACU Referral List

The criteria for admission of new firms of solicitors to the referral list is set out below:

1. The firm:

• confirms, (and if requested provides sufficient detailed information to justify that confirmation) that it has the resources and infrastructure in place to enable it to handle urgent High Court litigation in London;
• provides an undertaking to notify the Unit forthwith of any relevant changes, including a change in the identity of the solicitor or solicitors conducting or supervising child abduction cases; and
• is contracted with the Legal Services Commission to undertake all publicly funded family work within the family Specialist Quality Mark and in accordance with the Funding Code made under the Access to Justice Act 1999.

2. The solicitor (or solicitors) who will conduct or supervise the conduct of child abduction matters is (are):

• either (a) a member of the Law Society Family Law Panel (Advanced) having taken the Child Abduction and Wardship optional component; or (b) is a Resolution Accredited Specialist who has successfully completed the Child Abduction Specialist Portfolio; and
• has acted (or assisted) in at least 2 child abduction return cases (either for claimant or defendant) which have proceeded to judgment.

The above information should be provided to the unit in writing and if all the above criteria are met, the firm will be added to the existing referral list

Reunite
reunite International Child Abduction Centre is a charitable organisation specialising in international parental child abduction, reunite was formed in 1986 and registered as a charity in 1990. Its main aim is to provide advice, support and information to parents and families who are in any way affected by the issues surrounding international child abduction. This includes parents and families who have had a child abducted or fear that their child will be abducted as well as parents who may have abducted their child as well as advising on international contact issues.

Reunite are part-funded by the Department for Constitutional Affairs, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the Home Office. Reunite continues to develop a National/International Lawyers Network and carries out research into the laws of the countries to which children are abducted.

Other useful addresses and links

reunite International Child Abduction Centre
P.O. Box 7124
Leicester LE1 7XX
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 116 2556 234 (Advice Line)
Fax: +44 (0) 116 2556 370
http://www.reunite.org/

Foreign & Commonwealth Office
Consular Division
Old Admiralty Building
London
SW1A 2PA
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7270 1500
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7238 4517
http://www.fco.gov.uk/

United Kingdom Passport Service
London Passport Office
Globe House
89 Eccleston Square
London
SW1V 1PN
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7901 2002 (General Enquiries)
Fax: + 44 (0) 20 7271 8403
Tel: +44 (0) 8705 210 410 (UKPS Advice Line)
http://www.ukpa.gov.uk/

Missing Persons Helpline
tel: 0500 700 700
This a Freefone number from within the United Kingdom.
If you are calling from outside the UK, you can reach the Missing Persons Helpline on:+44 (0)20 8392 4545
http://www.missingpersons.org/

Permanent Bureau of The Hague Conference on Private International Law
Scheveningseweg 6
2517 KT The Hague
The Netherlands
Contact Permanent Bureau
http://www.hcch.net/

The Law Society
113 Chancery Lane
London
WC2A 1PL
Tel: 0870 606 6575
Contact Law Society
http://www.lawsociety.org.uk

Application forms and explanatory notes
Application (questionnaire) for return of a child - Notes for guidance
Application (questionnaire) for access to a child - Notes for guidance.
Application (questionnaire) for registration of court order under European Convention

 

This Page Was Last Updated

Sunday 7 January, 2007 13:41

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