Child Abduction Australia

Statistics show that Queensland had more than 80 cases in 2015 where one parent left Australia with a child or children without the other parent’s consent.

2026

Recognised with both the prestigious Global Recognition Award and the Inside Family Law Award

Hayder Shkara - Director | Collective Family Law Services

Our Awards

ASSISTED OVER 10,000 CLIENTS

Urgent Legal Help for Child Abduction Cases

Children being abducted by a parent or a family member is more common in Australia than you may think. Generally, this could happen when the parent or a family member is not satisfied with the current parenting arrangements and unilaterally decide to leave the area where the child resides, State or Australia.

When comes to the safety and well-being of your children, it is vital that you act quickly. If the other parent has taken your child without your consent, you should urgently contact us to seek legal advice about child abduction.

We take urgent steps to secure your child or children’s name on the airport watch list so that they cannot be removed from Australia. If children are taken outside of Australia, it can be very complicated and heartbreaking for the parent left behind, depending on what country they are taken to.

We are experts in child abduction and have years of experience in these types of matters. Don’t hesitate to act quickly to get the right legal outcome for you and your child or children.

What Our Clients Say About Us

Meet Some Of Our Family Lawyers

Dannielle Young

Hayder Shkara

Ivy Lawrence

Collective Family Law Are Experts in Resolving Matters Involving Child Abduction

Children being abducted by a parent or a family member is more common in Australia than you may think. Generally, this could happen when the parent or a family member is not satisfied with the current parenting arrangements and unilaterally decide to leave the area where the child resides, State or Australia.

When comes to the safety and well-being of your children, it is vital that you act quickly. If the other parent has taken your child without your consent, you should urgently contact us to seek legal advice about child abduction.

We take urgent steps to secure your child or children’s name on the airport watch list so that they cannot be removed from Australia. If children are taken outside of Australia, it can be very complicated and heartbreaking for the parent left behind, depending on what country they are taken to.

We are experts in child abduction and have years of experience in these types of matters. Don’t hesitate to act quickly to get the right legal outcome for you and your child or children.

If you do not wish for your child to travel without your consent, the following procedure can be followed:

This situation is unfortunate; however, it does happen. So the question is: What do you do if this happens to you?

What to Do If Your Child Has Been Taken or Is at Risk

If your children have been removed or you have an indication or concern that the other parent may leave the country with your child or children, you need to immediately contact the police and Collective Family Law Group.

There are traditional legal avenues through the Family Court that can be taken to have the child or children returned. However, the process is not as challenging if the country where the child or children is taken is the Hague Convention signatory.

However, if the country is not a signatory, then Collective Family Law Group will help you to do what they can here in Australia and advise you on what else can be done to get your children back.

Contact Us at Our Brisbane or Gold Coast Office

For further information on child abduction – whether locally or internationally, feel free to Collective Family Law Group and discuss your matter with our friendly staff at (07) 5574 0971.

Our Recent Articles

Learn what steps you can take next.

FAQs

Do child protective services exist in Australia?
  • Yes. Australia has state and territory child protection agencies responsible for investigating reports of child abuse, neglect, and harm. These agencies work to ensure children’s safety and wellbeing and may intervene when there are concerns about a child’s welfare. The specific agency and procedures vary depending on the state or territory.
  • Parents can help protect their children from abduction by maintaining clear parenting arrangements, keeping communication open with the other parent, and ensuring any travel plans comply with parenting orders. If there is a risk that a child may be taken without consent, you may be able to seek court orders, place the child’s name on the Family Law Watchlist, or obtain legal advice about protective measures. Early action is often important where there are genuine concerns.
  • Kidnapping is a serious criminal offence in Australia and can carry significant penalties, including imprisonment. In family law matters, taking a child without the consent of a parent who has parental responsibility, or in breach of parenting orders, may also have serious legal consequences. Courts and law enforcement agencies have powers to help locate and recover children who have been wrongfully removed or retained.
  • Australia participates in the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, an international agreement that helps resolve cases where children are wrongfully taken to or retained in another country. The Convention aims to secure the prompt return of children to their country of habitual residence and ensure that custody disputes are determined by the appropriate court.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Name(Required)
Is your email and mobile number safe to contact? If not, please contact the firm directly.(Required)
Preferred Method of Contact(Required)
The other party's first and last name(Required)
Required so the office can run a conflict-of-interest check, handled with strict confidentiality.