WHAT ACTION CAN BE TAKEN?
The United Kingdom is party to two international
conventions under which legal procedures have been agreed
with certain countries to assist in the return of children
who have been abducted there. If it is known that the child
is in one of the Convention countries then an application
may be made through the Central Authority for Scotland, for
the return of the child or for access to be arranged.
There are currently two Conventions operating between
contracting States which are applicable to cases of
international child abduction - the Hague Convention on the
Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction and the
European Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of
Custody Decisions Relating to Children. These Conventions
were implemented into United Kingdom law by the Child
Abduction Act 1985.