More Children Caught Up in International Abduction Cases in the Netherlands
New figures from the Centrum IKO show 270 children were involved in international abduction cases linked to the Netherlands in 2025, up from 200 a year earlier.
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The number of international child abductions to and from the Netherlands rose sharply in 2025. According to figures from the Centrum Internationale Kinderontvoering (Centrum IKO), the country’s legal expertise centre on the issue, there were 190 cases last year involving 270 children. A year earlier, there were 148 cases and 200 children.
A sharp rise in cases
The 270 children is 70 more than in 2024, an increase after the centre had reported a decline the year before. “The increased figures underline the importance of continued effort on help, prevention and awareness,” said Coşkun Çörüz, director of the Centrum IKO.
The term international child abduction refers to a specific situation: a child being taken to another country, or kept there, by one parent without the consent of the other parent who shares custody, and against the law of the country where the child normally lived. It is not the same as a stranger taking a child; in these cases the person responsible is almost always a parent.
Who takes the children, and where
In about three-quarters of the cases, the child was taken by the mother. Children who were taken from the Netherlands to another country most often ended up in Poland, followed by Spain and Syria. In cases where children were brought to the Netherlands, they came mainly from Spain, Belgium and Curaçao.
Spain and Syria are new entries in the top five destinations, which is part of what makes this year’s figures stand out.
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Why Spain and Syria are new
The Centrum IKO offers possible explanations for both. It links the rise of Spain to increased emigration from the Netherlands, which it connects to problems around housing and relationships and the rising cost of living. Some parents, the centre says, look for a fresh start in cheaper Spain. In the case of Syria, it says the cases often involve a father who wants to return there while the mother does not agree.
The centre also points to a common pattern behind many abductions: a period of tension within the family, in which parents become caught in conflicts that are hard to resolve.
A crime many parents do not recognise
A central message from the Centrum IKO is that many parents do not realise they are breaking the law. Taking a child across the border without the permission of the other parent with custody is a criminal offence, even when it is the child’s own parent doing so. “Too often we still hear parents say: what do you mean I am committing child abduction, I am taking my own child,” Çörüz said.
The Centrum IKO is an independent foundation, funded by the Ministry of Justice and Security, that gives free advice and information to parents, carers and professionals. It works with the Hague Child Abduction Convention, an international treaty meant to secure the prompt return of wrongfully removed children, and it also arranges cross-border mediation between parents in different countries.
Where to get help
For families in cross-border situations, there are practical steps. When a child travels abroad, including with one parent, a friend’s family or a school group, they need permission from their custodial parent or parents. The Centrum IKO provides a consent form (toestemmingsformulier) on its website, and advises travellers to carry the completed form along with copies of the custodial parents’ identity documents to avoid delays at the border. The Koninklijke Marechaussee, the military police who handle border control, are familiar with the form.
Parents who are worried about a possible abduction, or who are facing one, can contact the Centrum IKO for free advice.