Yes, there are specific circumstances that grant grandparents the authority to request a formal visitation arrangement. For example, if the grandparent demonstrates a strong bond with their grandchild and wants to formalize a visitation agreement out of fear the connection could be lost, the court may award this request. This is especially true when one of the child’s parents was deemed unfit for custody and may not even have visitation rights. The court will assess the grandparent’s qualifications for visitation just like it would for birth parents, looking into their past relationship with the child to see if there are any safety concerns.