Catherine Banks, a partner in the Family Department of Kidd Rapinet’s High Wycombe office today advised newly-divorced parents to take care when taking their children abroad on summer holidays; warning that “Parents could face criminal prosecution if they do not return children promptly to their legal homes after the holidays”.
New figures reveal that the number of parental child abduction cases dealt with by the Foreign Office has risen by 88% in just under a decade and that many of these cases result from a child not being returned to the custodial parent after the summer break. Daisy Organ, head of the Foreign Office Child Abduction Section said: “The increase in parental child abduction cases is a major cause for concern, particularly in the lead up to the school holidays; we know that before or during school holidays is one of the most common times for a child to be abducted. We hope that this campaign will help inform and educate the UK public and encourage parents thinking of abducting their child to think twice before they cause significant distress to themselves and their family.”
Catherine Banks comments “It’s easy to make a genuine mistake in the early stages of a separation that can have wide-ranging consequences. Communication, and abiding by agreements, is key.”
If you would like assistance, call the contact for your local Kidd Rapinet office for further information:
- Aylesbury: Mark Studdart (01296 432541)
- Farnham: Sandra Meakins (01252 713242)
- High Wycombe: Catherine Banks (01494 535321)
- London: Richard Tymkiw (020 7024 8065)
- Maidenhead: Kathryn Coyle (01628 621301)
- Slough: Nathalie Wespieser (01753 532541)