Closed petition Give legal right of contact between grandchildren and grandparents

Closed on 30 May 2024

UK grandparents have no automatic right of contact with their grandchildren. They can lose contact with a grandchild if the parents split up or for other reasons. I run a support group for affected grandparents and would like there to be a parliamentary debate to find a better solution.

One survey found that 1 in 7 grandparents are prevented from seeing their grandchildren. Although if mediation fails, a Child Arrangement Order can be sought, the adversarial court process can be expensive and traumatic to vulnerable grandparents. Many grandparents describe this lack of contact as a “living bereavement”. Attempts to change the law have so far failed. I think the current system neglects the rights of both grandparents and grandchildren. Grandparents have a huge amount to give, and their contribution to children's happiness and well-being requires recognition.