Grandparents Contact Rights Contact Order Grandparents Contact With Grandchildren

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What is a contact order?

Grandparents
can apply for permission (leave) to apply for a Contact Order.

A contact order will stipulate the arrangements agreed upon including direct forms of communication such as face-to-face visiting rights; and in-direct forms such as letters, video, text, email and telephone calls etc.

The Order requires that the person with whom the child lives allows the child to stay or visit with the person named in the order, or for that person and the child to otherwise have contact with each other.

There are a number of orders available including Indirect contact (through letters, gifts, phone calls, e-mail, texts etc), direct contact (with your grandchild meeting or staying with you), and supervised contact (if there are concerns about a child’s safety).

How do you apply for a contact order?

Only people with parental responsibility, for example parents, step-parents, guardian or a person with whom the child has lived for at least 3 years can make an application for a Contact Order. Grandparents can, however, apply for permission (leave) to apply for a Contact Order. Please see 'What are your rights?'