When a child is taken to another country or is retained there by a parent without the consent of the other parent or another party with rights of custody, this is regarded as international child abduction. Under the Child Abduction Act 1984, it is a criminal offence in Scotland for a person connected with a child under 16 to take or send the child out of the United Kingdom without consent if there is a court order in place dealing with custody of the child or if there is an order prohibiting the removal of the child from the UK. However, even if there is no such order in place, the left behind parent or other person with rights of custody can use civil law procedures under the 1980 Hague Convention on Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction to seek return of the child or secure access rights. If the Country to which the child has been abducted is not a party to the Hague Convention, advice should be sought from the Foreign and commonwealth Office or Reunite (see "Contacts and Links").