When Yoko Ono was recently reunited with her daughter, abducted by the girl's father (Ono's second husband) 30 years ago, it was a reminder that no matter how much money you have, nothing can protect you against having your child stolen by a disgruntled partner. Money was no object for Ono as she hired detectives to track her daughter, whose father hid her inside a bizarre Christian cult and poisoned her mind against her mother. If she couldn't succeed, what hope has the ordinary parent got?

In Dublin last week, the Irish Centre for Parentally Abducted Children (ICPAC) was launched by the Minister for State at the Department of Health and Children, Mary Hanifin. ICPAC will operate a helpline and offer prevention packs, containing clear information on how to reduce the risk of abduction and where to seek help if it occurs. As part of the European Network on Parental Child Abduction (ENCPA), ICPAC offers an extensive network of contacts not only to parents and family members, but also to lawyers and professionals working in the field.

Irish Centre for Parentally Abducted Children (01) 6625132; fax (01) 6625132