Is Your Child Safe Even After the Custody Order?

1. Child abduction often occurs when the parents get judicially separated and the custody order is not in favour of one of the parent. The unsatisfied parent tries to abduct the child. A parent gets tempted to abduct his or her child if the court’s custody order is unsatisfactory for the parent. They abduct their child in the hope of getting a different child custody order in some other state or country. But the law of divorce in Singapore prevents this as it is not permitted to reverse custody orders established by other state or country. But this doesn't stop some parents from trying. Email Us: Email Us: consult consult@gjclaw.com.sg @gjclaw.com.sg Call Us: Call Us: +65 6337 0469 +65 6337 0469 Divorce in Singapore Divorce Lawyer

2. Here are some actions that a parent can take: Appoint a family law attorney in case of divorce in Singapore, as the attorney can help prevent your spouse from taking advantage of an area of ambiguity in existing child custody orders. If your spouse threatens to abduct your child, ask the police or prosecutor to intervene. They can contact the parent and warn about the criminal consequences of abducting a child. Notify day-care centres, schools, babysitters or whoever interacts with your child about the custody order in effect and provide them with certified copies of those orders. Instruct them not to release your child to anyone else without your prior permission. If your spouse lives in some other state or country, register a copy of the custody orders there too. This will help in keeping the court of that place alert about the valid order in effect and that it must be enforced and not modified. The parent should flag his or her child’s passport and ensure that both parents must sign them before approving of the children leaving the country. If a custody order has not yet been entered, go for custody mediation. Mediators help out in custody disputes and come up with custody order upon which both parents can agree upon. This is an effective measure to stop parental kidnapping. You can also opt for a collaborative divorce for custody negotiations. In this process of divorce the parties meet with an attorney, a family counsellor, and any other professional necessary to reach an agreement in the custody issues and parenting plans. Resolving disputes in a courtroom in front of a judge who knows very little about the couple is a cumbersome process and is far more expensive than collaborative divorce. In contrast to a courtroom judge, a family attorney is more personal and kinder to both the husband and the wife.

3. However, mediation and collaborative divorce Singapore are not advisable if there exist domestic abuse in a marriage.