National Center for Missing & Exploited Children will no longer handle abductions to U.S. under Hague Convention

An announcement dated  February 15, 2008 states:

"As of April 1, 2008, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) will no longer handle any aspect of incoming child abduction cases arising under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction ("Hague Convention"). As the U.S. Central Authority, the U.S. Department of State has decided to assume all responsibility for managing incoming Hague Convention cases. As of April 1, 2008, please direct all inquiries and requests for assistance that your office receives on incoming cases to the Office of Children's Issues at the U.S. Department of State at 202-736-9090."

The people at NCMEC's international division have been great to work with over the years. They have been handling these cases almost exactly as long as I have. I hope the institutional know-how they've built up carries over.

The rest of NCMEC's statement is in the continuation:

         NCMEC will continue to assist parents and law enforcement to locate and recover children who have been abducted from the U.S. and taken to a foreign country (outgoing cases). As we have in the past with much success, we may reach out to your office for assistance with these cases.

            NCMEC has been honored to assist parents, law enforcement, and foreign Central Authorities to locate and recover children abducted to the United States from foreign countries for the last twelve years. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at international@ncmec.org.

Sincerely,

   Susan E. Rohol
  General Counsel
  Acting Director, International Division