A Contact order is an order under section 8 of the Children Act 1989 saying that a child should spend time with a particular person. It used to be called access and in the US is often called 'visitation rights'. The most common order is an order saying that the child should spend time with one of his or her parents, but the court may also make orders about grandparents and other family members, step-parents and so on. A Contact Order requires the person with whom the child lives to allow the child to visit or stay with the person named in the order, or for that person and the child otherwise to have contact with each other. It is typically required if the parents (or other relatives) cannot agree what contact the children should have. A Contact Order can define arrangements in great detail. Contact not only means visiting and staying contact but also covers contact by letter or telephone ('indirect contact').