The number of children who were taken across borders illegally increased by 35% last year, according to new figures from advocacy agency Centrum IKO.
Some 270 children were taken abroad from the Netherlands without permission in 2025, with Poland, Spain and Syria the most common destinations.
Children aged between six and 12 were most likely to be abducted by their parents. In three-quarters of cases the child was taken abroad by their mother.
Centrum IKO said many parents were unaware they needed permission from the other parent when they took their children abroad, or that travelling without permission is a criminal offence.
“We hear too often parents who say: ‘How is this child abduction? I’m just travelling with my own child,’” the organisation said.
Poland topped the list for the second year running, but Spain and Syria were newcomers in the top five, which also included the United States and Egypt.
Relationship breakdown
Spain was associated with parents who emigrate after relationships break down as they try to make a fresh start in a country with lower living costs, while the regime change in Syria at the end of 2024 led to families from the country returning home, sometimes without one of the parents.
Centrum IKO said it was notable that nearly all cases of abduction to Syria involved the father travelling without the mother’s permission, in contrast to the overall trend.
“Every child abduction is one too many,” said Coşkun Çörüz, director of Centrum IKO. “The impact on a child and their environment is huge and lasting. The rise in the figures underlines the importance of continuing to work on support, prevention and awareness.”
The organisation also recorded a 3% in the number of preventive discussions with parents after they or people close to them raised concerns about a child who was at risk of being abducted.
Abductions are often preceded by a period of tension in the relationship between parents, Centrum IKO said. The discussions focus on constructive communication between parents and offering support such as cross-border mediation.
