Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Related legal acts

Key definition

Child abduction definition

What does Child abduction mean? In legal practice, child abduction describes the wrongful removal or wrongful retention of a child from the care or control of a person with parental responsibility/parental responsibilities and rights, or under a custody/child arrangements order, without the necessary consent or a court order. It includes taking or keeping a child out of the jurisdiction. The term is used across family and criminal law. In England & Wales and Northern Ireland, parental and non-parental child abduction offences are principally created by the Child Abduction Act 1984 and the Child Abduction (Northern Ireland) Order 1985. In Scotland, parental child abduction...

Child abduction: locating and recovering children in England and Wales—disclosure and location orders, Tipstaff powers, Home Office protocol, and FLA 1986 intra-UK enforcement

Published by a LexisNexis Family expert

Practice notes

This Practice Note explains the measures available to obtain information to find a child abducted into this jurisdiction, including seeking a location or disclosure order. It also describes the government agencies and other organisations that can be asked for information, and the procedure to trace and recover a child, together with other ways of locating and retrieving a child, for example under the provisions of the Family Law Act 1986 (FLA 1996). For practical guidance on Child abduction proceedings more generally, see the following...

Practice Notes:

Child abduction—emergency remedies
Child abduction—introduction and issuing proceedings (1980 Hague Convention)
Child abduction—1996 Hague Convention
Child abduction—procedure and evidence (Hague Convention)

In some matters, the effect of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU (Brexit) may need to be considered. At 11pm (GMT) on 31 December 2020, the Brexit transition/implementation period concluded following the UK’s departure from the EU. From that point (termed in UK law as ‘IP completion day’), key transitional arrangements ended and notable changes started to apply across the UK’s legal regime...

To view the latest version of this document and thousands of others like it, sign-in with LexisNexis or register for a free trial.

Web page updated on 21/05/2026

Popular documents

Using the Judicial College Guidelines to assess general damages in personal injury claims

When evaluating a general damages claim, the practitioner ought initially to refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG)...

Tomlin orders in England and Wales: CPR guidance on drafting, confidentiality, approval, variation, enforcement, limitation, CCA issues, court-specific requirements, sample wording and precedents

This Practice Note This Practice Note reviews mechanisms used in settling litigation. A Tomlin order consists of a consent order paired with a schedule. It operates to stay proceedings on terms that have been agreed. The provisions contained in the schedule may remain confidential. This Practice Note describes the scope of confidentiality attaching to the schedule and sets out how it differs from a standard consent order. Sample wording for a Tomlin order is included, alongside links to precedents, as well as guidance on court approval. It also addresses varying, setting aside and enforcing a Tomlin order, including the considerations the court will take into account when handling applications for each. Further guidance is provided on interpreting and applying the relevant provisions of the CPR; however, some courts and divisions impose very specific requirements for both drafting and approval, and for approaching the schedule and confidentiality issues. Accordingly, you must consider the particular rules and court guide provisions in the forum where your claim is proceeding when drawing up the Tomlin order...

Precedent: Deed of Surrender of Lease with Optional Premium, Settlement and Release, Landlord, Mortgagee and Guarantor Consents, Reimbursement and HM Land Registry Provisions (England and Wales)

Date [ date ] Parties [ name of Landlord ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Landlord) [ name of Tenant ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Tenant) [ [ name of Guarantor ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Guarantor) ] [ [ name of Mortgagee ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Mortgagee) ] Definitions Within this Deed, the terms below shall be interpreted as follows: [ Annual Rent • the annual sum reserved under the Lease; ] [ Insurance Rent • the Tenant’s share of the Landlord’s costs of insuring the Property (as set out in the Lease); ] Lease • the lease of the Property dated [ date ], entered into between (1) [ the Landlord OR [ name ...

Precedent Statutory Declaration: Standard Wording under the Statutory Declarations Act 1835

I, [ name ], of [ address ], solemnly and sincerely state that: [ Matters to be verified, set out in numbered paragraphs ] I make this solemn statement in good conscience, believing it to be true, and pursuant to the provisions of the Statutory Declarations Act 1835. DECLARED at [ details ] this [ day ] day of [ month and year ] Before me ................................................................................ [ signature of the person before whom the declaration is made ] A [ commissioner for oaths OR [ solicitor OR [ insert other qualification ] ] authorised to administer oaths ]...