Maria Wright
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I am a solicitor specialising in all aspects of children law, with a focus on the international movement of children. I have a particular expertise in international relocation cases, jurisdictional disputes, international child abduction, the recognition and enforcement of orders concerning children across borders, and child protection issues in an international context.
In 2023 I was awarded a doctorate from the University of Bristol for my empirical research on the protection of children with international connections, and the operation of private international law in this context, particularly the 1996 Hague Child Protection Convention.
I am passionate about the protection of children’s rights in cross-border situations, and have published and presented widely on international children’s law.
Relevant experiences and positions
I have practiced as a solicitor specialising in international children’s cases for over 15 years. I have represented specialising in public and private children’s law, international child abduction, jurisdictional disputes, wardship, relocation and the recognition and enforcemetn of orders concerning children. I acted for parents in cases which have reached the UK Supreme Court, including Re E (Children) [2011] UKSC 27 where I represented the Appellant. The case remains the leading case on the approach to the ‘grave risk’ of harm exception to a child’s return under the 1980 Hague Convention.
I have published widely on international children’s law in practitioner texts and academic journals and I am the co-author of ‘International Issues in Family Law: The 1996 Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Brussells IIa’ (2015, Jordans).
As well as my experience in private pracitce, I previously worked as the Senior Legal Advisor to Children and Families Across Borders (CFAB) the UK Branch of the International Social Service network. During this time, I developed a legal advice service, and delivered training for a broad range of stakeholders and local authorities on international issues in a child protection context. I also worked as a judicial assistant to the family judges sitting in the Court of Appeal.
Some personal questions
What is your advice to parents who are thinking about relocating with a child?
• It is important to plan a relocation carefully, thinking about all the practical aspects in detail. However, sometimes parents get caught up in the practicalities and forget to think about how a child will experience a relocation.
• My advice would be to think about your child’s everyday experience and how that will be impacted by a relocation. What might seem incredibly important for us as adults may be insignificant for a child. Similarly, a child may have relationships and routines which seem small from a parental point of view but are a huge part of a child’s life. How can you help your child with the losses they may experience with a relocation, and what are the gains of relocation which will be meaningful from your child’s perspective?
When did you first handle a child abduction case?
My first experiences of handling child abduction cases were as a trainee to the late Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE. Anne-Marie had an unparalleled expertise in international child abduction, and an innate instinct for the running of the cases. I was lucky enough learn from her.
Which child abduction case will you never forget?
I will never forget a child abduction case I dealt with where a five-year child had been removed to Cameroon by her father. We issued wardship proceedings and took all the steps we could to secure the child’s return, including instituting committal proceedings against the father who was present in this country, and served a short term of imprisonment. Eventually, taking those measures paid off and through a complex process of negotiation, involving lawyers and state actors in Cameroon, we were able to secure the child’s return. I can still remember the photographs of the little girl returning home, and her joy at being reunited with her mum.
What is your advice to parents dealing with international child abduction?
– If you are a parent whose child has been moved across borders, do not delay getting legal advice. You might be able to find an agreed solution for your child’s future care, but you need to know your legal options right from the outset.
– The same is true for a parent who fears they may find themselves at the receiving end of an international child abduction case. You need to know what your options are, how you can achieve an outcome for your child which is in their best interest in the short and long term.
What are the complicated aspects of criminal cases concerning child abduction?
– The interplay between criminal and civil remedies for international child abduction can be complicated, and the right outcome will depend on the individual case.
– In some cases, criminal law can be an effective tool to secure the return of an abducted child, or prevent an offence of child abduction taking place.
– In other cases, the existence of an extant criminal charge may hinder agreed solutions for a child’s return. A child may be worried about a parent who is the subject of an extant criminal charge which can impact on their views on returning to their country of habitual residence, and their future relationship with their parents.