Your custody rights as a grandparent and what to do if you are refused access to your grandchild Grandparents can be an important part of the family unit. Here are some of the main factors to be aware of if your time with your grandchildren is cut off through relationship breakdowns

Your custody rights as a grandparent and what to do if you are refused access to your grandchild

Grandparents can be an important to try and keep an open dialogue with the part of the family unit and play a children’s parents. vital role in their grandchildren’s upbringing. In fact, research estimates as much as 60% of all childcare in the UK is provided by the grandparents. If arrangements to spend time with the grandchildren cannot be reached, grandparents can apply for permission to undertake a court order to seek contact, However, in the event of a family or and it is very rare that a court would relationship breakdown, some may refuse the grandparent permission to find they are denied access to their make the application. grandchildren, and this can be devastating for both the grandparent and the Lucinda Holliday is head of family & divorce at Blaser Court considerations grandchild. Mills Law. During a court hearing to grant There are a number of things grandparents must consider to secure the relationship with their grandchildren during such disputes. Here are some of the main factors to be aware of if your time with your grandchildren is cut off. grandparents contact with their grandchild, the court will consider a variety of factors. These include the grandparents’ relationship with the grandchild, the reason and nature of the application, if granting contact would be harmful to the child and if continuing the contact would negatively impact the rest of the Your legal rights as a grandparent family. If your application is successful, you can then In England and Wales, grandparents do not have the legal right to see their grandchild, nor do they have automatic parental responsibility of their grandchildren, however the parents of the child do and can decide who go ahead and apply for a contact order via the court to gain access. In most cases the two applications are combined and this is something to bear in mind when considering your application for permission. their children see. Therefore, it is always recommended If the child’s parents raise objections, you will have to