Closed petition Prevent child abduction and work to ensure abducted children are repatriated.

Closed on 9 October 2018

Approximately 500 cases of International Parental Child Abduction take place each year (that equates to ten a week) - these are figures from the FCO. Exit controls at the border were abolished in 1998, so court orders, alerts and other safeguards to prevent abduction cannot be effectively enforced.

The Government must raise awareness of the problem with public
authorities so that they can formulate more effective preventative
measures.

The Government must introduce a fully funded team dedicated to liaising with foreign Governments and fund legal action abroad to ensure that children are repatriated to the UK. The Government must implement the recommendations of the Law Commission to reform of sections 1 and 2 of the Child Abduction Act 1984.