International Child Abduction

FAQs

Call the hotline if you are a:

child who is missing from home / care or a child who is thinking of leaving home / care
parent or carer of a missing child
child, young person, or adult who has information about a missing child

Make a report to the police if you know of a child who has gone missing. This can be done by anybody, not just the parents or carers. You may also call the 116 000 hotline for support, advice, and to share valuable information about a missing child.

Who answers the calls?

Professionally trained Hotline Operators.

Does the 116 000 hotline work in my country?

The 116 000 number works in 32 countries in Europe. You can find the list of countries here.

The 116 000 hotline is not available in my country, who can I contact instead?

Always contact your national police to report a missing child or to share information relating to a missing child.

Other national hotlines or children’s organisations are available in your country, you can find this online.

Who can call the 116 000 hotline?

Everyone. Children, young people, parents or carers, families, and third party adults.

If you know about a missing child or if you know of a child at risk of going missing, the 116 000 hotline will be able to support you.

What information am I required to give when I call the 116 000 hotline?

You will be asked for details related to the missing child and their circumstances.

The more information provided the more help this will be for the protection of the child.

Do I have to share my details, I want to remain anonymous?

No, you do not have to share your details. Only share your details should you wish to.

What is a child abduction?

When an international family conflict escalates, it can lead to a child abduction, which occurs when children are taken to or kept in a country other than 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) - a growing network of over 200 trained, bi-cultural mediators that represent 40 countries across the world. They are trained to engage directly with parents to find a solution that reflects the specific family situation and boasts an 81% success rate.

Facts & Figures

Around 1,161

of International Child Abductions are reported each year.

75%

of solved cases are thanks to either full or partial mediation agreements.

Mediation is 60%

cheaper and 7 times faster than a court proceeding (43 days instead of 18 months).

Projects

iCare

The project aims to contribute to a better understanding and case handling of international child abduction cases.

Learn more

INCLUDE

The project aims to enhance the wellbeing of children at all stages of an international child abduction: from the start of the case until the enforcement and after return.

Learn more

The Voice Project

The project focused on informing judges, legal professionals and mediators on how to assess the best interest of the child in International Child Abduction cases.

Learn more