In the European Union, a staggering 130,000 international couples set the course for divorce each year. In 2017, notable 23.2[PM1] % of cases managed by hotlines dedicated to missing children revolved around heart-wrenching instances of parental abductions. Among these, a significant 55.7% were knotted within the complexities of cross-border dynamics.
The Cross-border Family Mediators Network was launched in 2012 when it was jointly established by two significant NGOs: Child Focus from Belgium and Mediation bei internationalen Kindschaftskonflikten (MiKK) from Germany. This transformative step was made possible through support from the Dutch Centre for International Child Abduction, with the support of the Dutch Centre for International Child Abduction, in the framework of an EU funded project. The network is based on a training and cross-border family mediation model developed in cooperation with the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.
In 2014, the coordination of the network was handed over to Missing Children Europe, the European Federation for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children. This federation unites 32 organisations across 27 European countries. Missing Children Europe also coordinates a network of hotlines for missing children, now operational in 32 countries through the number 116 000.
As permanent members of the Task Force, MiKK and Child Focus, still play a significant role in the the crafting of the network’s mission, strategy, and activities. Furthermore, MiKK’s holds a prominent position as the lead collaborator of Cross-Border Family Mediators, driving the conception and orchestration of training initiatives in cross-border family mediation.