View source for Grandparents and Extended Family Members

===The ''Family Law Act''===

The ''[[Family Law Act]]'' talks about ''guardians'' who have ''parental responsibilities'' and ''parenting time'' with children, and about people who are not guardians and may have ''contact'' with a child. 

In most cases, a child's parents are the child's guardians, which means that normally only a child's parents are entitled to have parental responsibilities and parenting time with the child. However, someone who isn't a parent can ask the court to be appointed as a guardian of a child under section 51 of the ''Family Law Act''. Someone who is a guardian of a child may ask the court for an order about the child's ''parenting arrangements'' under section 45(1) of the act. An order about a child's "parenting arrangements" is an order about ''parenting time'' or ''parental responsibilities'' in respect of a child. "Parenting time" usually means how the child's time is divided between their parents, but in this context includes time with someone who isn't a parent. "Parental responsibilities" means the responsibility for making decisions on behalf of a child about important things like the child's healthcare or education. (Parenting time and parental responsibilities are discussed in a lot more detail in the section [[Family Law Act Basics|''Family Law Act'' Basics]] and in the chapter [[Children and Parenting after Separation]].) 

Under section 59 of the ''Family Law Act'', someone who isn't a ''guardian'' may ask the court for a ''contact order''. A "contact order" is an order about the time that someone who isn't a guardian has with a child. This sounds just like an order for "parenting time," but there are some big differences. Someone with parenting time with a child has the right to make day-to-day decisions about the child, including emergency decisions. Someone with contact, on the other hand, does not have this right. Contact is just about spending time with the child and nothing else. (Contact is also discussed in the chapter [[Children and Parenting after Separation]].) 

Under section 149(1) and 149(2)(b) of the act, any person may ask the court for an order that a child's parent, stepparent or guardian pay ''child support'' for the benefit of a child to a "designated person," normally the person the child lives with the most. (Child support is discussed in a lot more detail in the [[Child Support]] chapter.) 

If the child's guardians are already in court, a child's grandparents, extended family members and others who aren't parents can start a court proceeding and ask that the new proceeding be ''joined'' to the court proceeding between the guardians. They can then ask for orders about guardianship of the child, the child's parenting arrangements, contact with the child or child support for the child.

If the guardians are not already in court, a child's grandparents, extended family members and others can start a court proceeding against the child's parents or guardians and ask for orders about guardianship, parenting arrangements, contact with the child or child support.