Grandparents' contact — the full application route

REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-29

The starting point

Grandparents do not have an automatic right to see their grandchildren. Unlike parents, they must first get the court's permission (leave) to apply for a child arrangements order.

Step 1: Try to agree

Before any court application:

Write to the parents — a calm, child-focused letter asking for contact
Try mediation (with both parents' agreement)
Consider whether a family member can broker the conversation
Document your attempts — the court will want to see you tried

Step 2: Apply for permission (leave)

If agreement fails:

Apply on a C100 form — tick the box for "permission to apply"
The court will consider: - Your connection with the child (how involved have you been?) - The nature of the application (is it reasonable?) - Whether it might disrupt the child's life harmfully

Permission is usually granted for grandparents with a genuine pre-existing relationship with the child — but it's not automatic

Step 3: The child arrangements application

Once you have permission, your application is treated like any other — the court applies the welfare checklist (see our welfare-checklist guide) and considers:

The child's wishes and feelings (age-appropriately)
The existing arrangements and stability
Your relationship with the child and capacity to meet their needs
Any risk of harm (see our safeguarding pages)
Whether contact is in the child's best interests

If the child has been taken into care

Grandparents can apply for a special guardianship order or to be assessed as kinship carers (see our SGO guide)
Priority is given to family placements in care proceedings

If a parent is blocking contact

Document the reasons given
Mediation is the first step (see our mediation guide)
If the parent has genuine safeguarding concerns, address them with evidence
If the block is unreasonable and there's no safeguarding risk, the court will consider ordering contact

Practical tips

Build a record of your relationship with the child (photos, messages, dates of contact)
Be child-focused in every application — frame it around what the child needs, not your rights
Never criticise the parent to the child (courts take a very poor view)
Consider indirect contact (letters, cards, gifts) as a starting point if direct contact is refused

Official links

C100 form: https://www.gov.uk/looking-after-children-divorce
Grandparents' rights: https://www.gov.uk/contact-grandchild

This page is general information, not legal advice. YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory and is not affiliated with HMCTS or gov.uk.

Content verified against the official HMCTS court directory, gov.uk forms and fees pages, and the professional body registers (SRA, FMC, Bar Council). Last reviewed September 2026.