(1)A magistrates' court, on making an order under section 8(2) of this Act regarding the legal custody of a child or at any time while such an order is in force, shall have power, on an application made by a grandparent of the child, to make such order requiring access to the child to be given to that grandparent as the court thinks fit.
(2)Subsections (5), (6), (7)(b) and (8) of section 8 and subsection (9) of section 10 of this Act shall apply in relation to an order under this section as they apply in relation to an order under section 8(2)(b) of this Act.
(3)Where a magistrates' court has made an order under subsection (1) above requiring access to a child to be given to a grandparent, the court shall have power to vary or revoke that order on an application made—
(a)by that grandparent, or
(b)by either party to the marriage in question, or
(c)if the child is not a child of both the parties to the marriage, by any person who though not a party to the marriage is a parent of that child.
(4)Section 12 of this Act shall apply in relation to the exercise by a court of its powers under this section on an application under subsection (1) or (3) above as it applies in relation to the exercise by the court of its powers under sections 8 to 10 of this Act on an application under section 1 of this Act, and any reference to a party to the proceedings in subsection (4) or (5) of section 12 of this Act shall include—
(a)in the case of an application under subsection (1) above, a reference to the grandparent who has made an application under that subsection ; and
(b)in the case of an application under subsection (3) above, a reference to the grandparent who has access to the child under the order for the variation or revocation of which the application is made.
(5)Where an order made under section 8(2)(a) of this Act in relation to a child ceases to have effect, whether by virtue of an order or direction of a magistrates' court or by virtue of any provision of this Part of this Act, any order made under this section regarding access to the child by a grandparent shall also cease to have effect.
(6)A court shall have power to make an order under this section in favour of a grandparent of a child notwithstanding that the child is illegitimate.