Grandparents' rights

At Hugh James, we get lots of questions and enquiries around grandparents’ rights.

These include:

• What are grandparents’ rights in the UK?
• Do grandparents have rights to begin with?
• What are grandparents’ rights in the Scotland, England, and other parts of the UK?
• What are the reasons grandparents can file for custody of a grandchild in the UK?

But this is not surprising at all as grandparents play a very vital and completely irreplaceable role when it comes to the lives and wellbeing of children. However, what does surprise most people is that in the UK, grandparents are not automatically granted the right to see their grandchildren once the child/children are separated due to a divorce or separation between the parents.

Here’s what you need to know about grandparents rights to see their grandchildren in the UK: there is a legal process around grandparents’ rights in the UK, allowing grandparents to maintain a relationship with their grandchildren.

This is where our child support lawyers come in, assisting grandparents in meeting their grandchildren through legal channels. Owing to our decades of experience as a leading law firm in legal rights of grandparents, we can help you across multiple areas, including:

• Getting to spend time with your grandchildren where you were previously denied contact or contact was severely restricted for no plausible reason, following a separation or divorce between the children’s parents.
• Gaining access to your grandchildren even when the parent (your child) doesn’t have access to them.
• Starting the process of becoming the grandchild’s legal guardian, including adoption.
• Becoming a special guardian of your grandchild in case neither parent is fit or unable to support the child/children.
• Challenging a court decision in terms of relocation for the grandchildren, where the child’s parent’s consent has not been considered in the legal decision, or the parent has died.

Following a separation or divorce, grandparents often believe that it is their duty to look after the often traumatised and confused children, or those whose rights are not being met. Attempting to do this on your own through court can involve many legal battles which can last months and even years, not to mention how it can drain you both financially and emotionally.

With a Hugh James children’s solicitor on your side, you can take a quick, decisive, and straightforward approach to making arrangements for your grandchildren. We initially offer free legal advice for grandparents’ rights across the UK, including answers to questions like “can grandparents get visitation rights”, “what to do when you are not allowed to see your grandchildren”, and “how to apply for grandparents’ rights”. Our expert and friendly family solicitors use a tailored approach according to your personal circumstances, ensuring that clear and transparent guidance is available every step of the way.

Should you require, we also offer emotional support as our solicitors work collaboratively with you through the necessary legal channels to help you access your grandchildren, including managing and maintaining regular relationships with them.