When an international family conflict escalates, it can lead to a parental abduction. A parental abduction occurs when children are taken to or kept in a country other than that of their normal residence by a parent against the will of the other.
To prevent and resolve these abductions, Missing Children Europe coordinates the network of Cross-Border Family Mediators (CBFM). CBFM is a growing network of 193 trained, bi-cultural mediators that represent 40 countries. These mediators are trained to engage directly with parents to find a solution that reflects the specific family situation and boasts an 81% success rate.
Along with partners, we have recently wrapped up the Voice project, which focused on informing judges, legal professionals and mediators on how to assess the best interest of the child in international child abduction cases. The 2018 research revealed that children can feel frustrated, unheard, desperate or anxious in the aftermath of a parental abduction.