Give police emergency powers to return children withheld by a parent

Summary

We call on the Government to amend the law to grant police immediate emergency powers to recover a child when a parent withholds them in breach of an active Court Order or shared care agreement. Currently, when a parent breaks a family court order and refuses to return a child, the police often refuse to intervene, calling it a "civil matter". Parents are forced to wait months for new court hearings while their children are alienated and legal orders are ignored with impunity. The law has a dangerous gap. We need emergency police enforcement powers to protect children and uphold court decisions immediately, instead of allowing parents to break the law while waiting for future court.

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Timeline

1. 4 July 2026

   Petition

   We call on the Government to amend the law to grant police immediate emergency powers to recover a child when a parent withholds them in breach of an active Court Order or shared care agreement. Currently, when a parent breaks a family court order and refuses to return a child, the police often refuse to intervene, calling it a "civil matter". Parents are forced to wait months for new court hearings while their children are alienated and legal orders are ignored with impunity. The law has a dangerous gap. We need emergency police enforcement powers to protect children and uphold court decisions immediately, instead of allowing parents to break the law while waiting for future court.

   Source: Petition

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