Grandparent’s Rights

If you have been prevented from having access to your grandchildren, or you need to become your grandchild’s legal guardian, our grandparent’s rights solicitors can help you.

It is not uncommon for grandparents to be engaged in disputes with their own children, and when this happens, they may find that they can no longer have a relationship with their grandchildren. Whatever these disputes are based on, whether personal issues, or the aftermath of a divorce, being in this situation can be extremely distressing for grandparents.

Our experts have much legal experience in supporting clients to access their rights as a grandparent. We will always treat your case with the care and respect it deserves, offering a sensitive yet pragmatic legal approach.

Our grandparent’s rights solicitors at WSP can provide support for clients across various different areas, including:

• Resolving grandparent’s rights disputes
• Applying for grandparent’s rights, including Child Arrangement Orders
• Special Guardianship
• Becoming your grandchild’s family foster carer

Consult our grandparent’s rights solicitors in Gloucestershire

To access legal support with grandparent’s rights in the UK, please contact our expert grandparent’s rights solicitors. You can contact your local WSP Solicitors office in Gloucester or Stroud.

If you have a quick question or would like to request a call back, you can also use our simple online enquiry form.

Our Grandparents’ Rights Expertise

Resolving disputes

In certain situations, grandparents may have trouble maintaining a relationship with their grandchildren, for instance, where there’s been a dispute between themselves and the grandchild’s parents.

If you are having difficulty accessing your grandchildren, regardless of the reason, our solicitors can assist you with alternative dispute resolution methods, attempting to resolve your issue as amicably as we can.

There are various types of alternative dispute resolution methods that may be appropriate, including collaborative law, and mediation. We are experts in helping clients to navigate a range of areas including grandparents rights after divorce, or where grandparents do not currently have a relationship with their own children.

Our team have much experience supporting clients with alternative dispute resolution for grandparent’s rights, and other areas, including divorce and civil partnership dissolution.

Court Orders

Unfortunately, alternative dispute resolution is not always successful to help grandparents gain contact with their grandchildren.

Where conflict is ongoing, we can help grandparents try to obtain a Court Order to access their grandchildren, for instance, a Child Arrangement Order.

Our solicitors appreciate that being in this situation can be incredibly stressful for grandparents. At WSP we have worked with many clients in this situation, our team will provide empathetic support, guiding you towards a positive outcome.

Special Guardianship Order

In situations where a child’s parents are no longer able to take care of them, their grandparents should be assessed to consider if they could care for them instead. The grandparents may be able to make an application to court for a Special Guardianship Order. Such an order would grant grandparents parental responsibility so that they can look after their grandchildren.

Our experts at WSP can support grandparents to access a Special Guardianship Order, explaining how these work, and all of the necessary processes as well as considering alternative options.

Becoming your grandchild’s family foster carer

Another common alternative is for a grandparent to become their grandchild’s family foster carer. This means that the child is in social services’ care, but living with their grandparent. It can be temporary or permanent.

Our experts at WSP are highly experienced in all social services issues and we can guide grandparents through what this means, how it works, what will happen and their rights and responsibilities. We can also help grandparents to decide whether this is the best option long-term and the other alternatives.

Frequently asked questions about grandparent’s rights

Can parents stop grandparents seeing grandchildren?

Grandparents do not automatically have legal access to their grandchildren, and so, it is technically possible for the child’s parents to prevent access. For this reason, grandparents rights to see grandchildren can be difficult to navigate.

However, with legal support from specialist solicitors, grandparents can attempt to obtain rights, and establish legal contact with their grandchildren.

If you are being stopped from having contact with your grandchildren, please contact our experts at WSP, to see how we can help you.

What rights do grandparents have?

Grandparents do not have any automatic legal right to have contact with their grandchildren, nor automatic custody rights in situations where the child’s own parents cannot look after them.

Despite this, where grandparents want to access their grandchildren, they can apply to the Courts to try to obtain that access. It is advisable to have the support of a specialist solicitor when approaching these processes.

In circumstances where a child’s parents are unable to look after them, grandparents should be considered as potential carers for the children. Grandparents may be able to apply for a Special Guardianship Order, they may be able to become Family Foster Carers, in rare circumstances they may be able to apply to adopt their grandchild, or they may not need any court order at all.

Our specialist solicitors can talk you through all of the options, tailored to your circumstances, to help you decide what is best for you and your family.

Can grandparents get a Court order to see their grandchildren?

Yes, if grandparents are being prevented from seeing their grandchildren and out-of-court attempts to agree have not worked, they can apply for a Court Order to try to obtain contact. First, they would need permission from the court. If the court gives them permission, they could apply for a Child Arrangements Order which sets out when the child should spend time or have contact with their grandparents.

Our expert grandparent’s rights solicitors at WSP can support clients throughout the process of applying for either order, for more information, please contact us.

Do grandparents need permission to apply for a child arrangements order?

Yes, if grandparents wish to apply for a child arrangement order, they will need to first apply to gain permission from the Court.

It is also necessary for grandparents to first attempt mediation to resolve the problem, before seeking a Court Order. Where you are being prevented from seeing your grandchildren, we can help you to negotiate with their parents, out of Court.

Where it is not possible to negotiate, we can assist you to try and obtain a Court order. Our expert grandparent’s rights solicitors at WSP have supported many clients to apply for grandparent’s rights, via Child Arrangement Orders.

Can I get legal aid for grandparent’s rights?

There are some circumstances where a grandparent could be eligible for legal aid. Accessing legal aid is complex and we would recommend discussing it with a solicitor who can assess you.

If you require more information about this, our solicitors at WSP would be more than happy to provide it. For those who are not eligible, rest assured, we offer reasonable pricing, matching the excellent level of quality we provide.

How much does it cost to get grandparent’s rights?

How much it costs depends on whether or not your issue can be resolved via negotiation, mediation, or whether you need to apply to the Court, and the extent of legal representation and support that you need.

Our specialist grandparent’s rights solicitors at WSP will ensure we provide accurate information about your fees at the earliest opportunity.

Consult our grandparent’s rights solicitors in Gloucestershire

To access legal support with grandparent’s rights in the UK, please contact our expert grandparent’s rights solicitors. You can contact your local WSP Solicitors office in Gloucester or Stroud.

If you have a quick question or would like to request a call back, you can also use our simple online enquiry form.