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International Child Abduction Respondents Scheme

Attorney-General's Department · Australia

The International Child Abduction Respondents Scheme (ICARS) provides funding to individuals responding to Hague Convention child return proceedings in Australian courts. It may support eligible respondents defending, appealing, or responding to appeals under the Family Law (Child Abduction Convention) Regulations 1986.

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Deadline

Rolling / Ongoing

Location

Australia

Who Can Apply

• Be an individual responding to Hague Convention child abduction proceedings in an Australian court • Be defending or proposing to defend an application seeking a return order for a child or children • Or be appealing or proposing to appeal a return order made by an Australian court • Or be responding or proposing to respond to an appeal against a non-return decision made by an Australian court • Proceedings must have been filed under the Regulations on or after 2024-01-01 • Demonstrate that funding the legal action would cause financial hardship • Provide information about criminal history • Provide information about the nature of the legal action and its potential impact
You may be eligible for ICARS if you are defending or proposing to defend an application filed in an Australian court under the Regulations seeking a return order for a child or children; appealing or proposing to appeal a return order made by an Australian court under the Regulations; or responding to or proposing to respond to an appeal against a non-return decision made by an Australian court under the Regulations. ICARS applications can be made for proceedings filed under the Regulations on or after 1 January 2024. Applicants must also demonstrate certain assessment criteria, including whether funding the legal action would cause financial hardship, their criminal history, and the nature of the legal action and its potential impact.

What's Funded

Legal representation and related legal action for individuals responding to, defending, or appealing Hague Convention child abduction return proceedings in an Australian court.

Before you apply

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Expected Outcomes

Eligible applicants receive financial assistance to participate in court proceedings under the Regulations, including defence of return applications, appeals of return orders, or responses to appeals against non-return decisions.

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Key Information

Applicant Types

individual

Stage

any

Funding Purposes

communityother

Keywords

legal assistancechild abductionHague Conventionfamily lawcourt proceedingsappealsfinancial hardshipICARS

Official Grant Page

Attorney-General's Department

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the International Child Abduction Respondents Scheme?

The International Child Abduction Respondents Scheme is a mixed grant offered by Attorney-General's Department in Australia. The International Child Abduction Respondents Scheme (ICARS) provides funding to individuals responding to Hague Convention child return proceedings in Australian courts. It may support eligible respondents defending, appealing, or responding to appeals under the Family Law (Child Abduction Convention) Regulations 1986.
2

Who is eligible for the International Child Abduction Respondents Scheme?

  • Be an individual responding to Hague Convention child abduction proceedings in an Australian court
  • Be defending or proposing to defend an application seeking a return order for a child or children
  • Or be appealing or proposing to appeal a return order made by an Australian court
  • Or be responding or proposing to respond to an appeal against a non-return decision made by an Australian court
  • Proceedings must have been filed under the Regulations on or after 2024-01-01
  • Demonstrate that funding the legal action would cause financial hardship
  • Provide information about criminal history
  • Provide information about the nature of the legal action and its potential impact
3

What activities are funded?

Legal representation and related legal action for individuals responding to, defending, or appealing Hague Convention child abduction return proceedings in an Australian court.
4

How do I apply for the International Child Abduction Respondents Scheme?

Start by checking your eligibility using the free Beta Docs eligibility checker. If eligible, Beta Docs' AI-powered platform can help you draft, review, and refine your application to maximise your chances of success.

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