Advice on taking child to Morocco to meet father’s family.

[LondonWeeknd]

My DD had a child following a holiday romance. Father has not met child for various reasons and is not on birth certificate. My DD is now considering taking DS to meet him and his family.

I’m concerned that if there were to be any plans in place would they be able to stop her returning to UK with him?
I know Morocco is signed up to Hague Convention but that unfortunately this is not foolproof.

No way would I risk this. If this was just a holiday fling, then she has no idea what he or is family are like.

Could he come to the UK? Or they meet in a third, mutually convenient country? I would also want to go with my DD so she wasn't alone.

This is a bad plan for all kinds of reasons. Really serious reasons. Not just "he might keep the baby". Your DD needs to wise up fast.

She should not do this, she barely knows the guy as its a holiday romance, he hasnt met the kid, people can easily not show their true selves, even if there is nothing that would allow them legally to stop her leaving with her child, they literally just take the child, how confident would she be going to the police, getting legal help in Morocco? Terrible idea, if he wants to see the baby, they need to visit her.

Nope no way.

i heard Hague convention has been used against mothers a lot. The father will have rights in Morocco which court systems may decide outweighs the mothers rights

Why can’t the father travel to the UK to meet his child?

Nope, if he wants to meet the child he can travel to her to do so, why drag a baby all that way when the dad can travel? Not to mention to safety aspects

No way. If he wants to see her let him come to her.

Hard pass. If he wants to see the child he can put in the effort. Otherwise, really, nope.

There are plenty of places they could meet that would be far safer for your daughter and grandchild. I'd go with her too.

Why not meet in Gibraltar? It’s a short ferry crossing for them, and not too long a flight from the U.K.

I’d definitely accompany her too though, preferably with a friendly adult male too, in case they get funny, and meet in a public place.

This is a really good idea. A very risk averse compromise.

it is very possible the man and his family are lovely - such a boon to the child.

However, there is also the risk that Moroccan social conventions are very much in favour of the patriarchy. He may be nice, but subject to local conventions.

Either meet up in the UK, or in a country like Gibraltar … and until you are very certain of him AND his family, do not let the baby out of sight.

would you be able to accompany DD for support?

This

Your DD needs to stop fawning for this man. If he wants to meet the child he comes here. Dont let her take all the time, trouble and effort for him.

Goodness unless she wants to end up on the tv with her child stuck in Morocco then no. Meeting in Gibraltar is a much better idea.
They could also come here.

Absolutely fucking not.

Definitely not

I am not someone who automatically assumes the worst, but in this case, I'd be hesitant. Why hasn't he met the child? Putting aside any issues with a man from another country potentially trying to keep a child in his country, I'd be very wary of a man who gets someone pregnant, lets' her go through her pregnancy, have the baby alone etc and then STILl expects HER to travel to HIM for him to meet the baby. And that applies whether she's in London and he's in Birmingham, or he's in Australia and she's in Scotland. Where's the effort on HIS part? And if he's so unwilling to make any, add the potential cultural and legal issues, I start to get nervous.

No No No. I used to work at a British Embassy abroad and dealt with many cases where the father in a non EU/non Hague Convention country took the child.

Tell her not to do this.

UK or Gibraltar only. And DD must have a family member with her. At all times. She doesn't really know him.

It simply isnt worth the risk. In case his family wants to keep the child. He should come to the UK. If the family kidnapped the child not sure if the police there would be interested.

I see the child is a boy. So that goes double for all the ‘no way, definitely not’ comments.

Apologies my phone ran out while I was out.

I would be going with her. He has been struggling to afford a visa apparently and can’t get time off work at the moment.

Then he can wait. Clearly he's not that arsed if he's never met the child.