GRANDPARENT’S RIGHTS – THE FACTS

Stephen Sowden, director of The Family Law Company (www.thefamilylawco.co.uk) says, “Grandparents don’t have an automatic right to have contact with grandchildren but there are steps you can take if you’re being denied access.”

1

Talk to both parents. Don’t bring up past events or raise other grievances, you need to work with the parents, not against them. Alternatively, write to the parent (see www.grandparentsplus.org.uk/ what-you-can-do for a template letter).

2

Try mediation where the family sits down to settle differences. Call Family Mediation on 0300 400 0636 or visit www.nfm.org.uk

3

The last option is to take legal advice on whether it’s worth pursuing a Court Order, but it is expensive, you may not win, and if you do, you have to live with the consequences in your family.

4

Apply to the Court for a Child Arrangement Order which sets out how much contact the child should have with you. It will consider whether the application may be harmful to the child (eg. by damaging the rest of the family’s relationship). If a parent raises an objection you’ll need to have a full hearing.