Still Births
Who can register a stillbirth?
The mother or the father of a stillborn baby is qualified to register if they are married to each other. If the parents are not married to each other the mother can register the stillbirth on her own. However, if the parents are not married to each other the father may still be qualified to register in some other capacity and in this case you should contact the Register Office to establish in what circumstances he would be able to register the still birth.
However, the father's details would not be included in the registration unless he attended with the mother to sign the register jointly or he had made a statutory declaration of his parentage before a solicitor or other person able to witness an oath. It is also possible for the mother to make a statutory declaration naming the father of the child. If the father attends with this document it is possible for him to register the birth on his own even though he is not married to the mother of the child. If the father or mother is not able to attend the Register Office there are other persons who may be qualified to register the stillbirth. You should phone the Register Office (0191 424 6350) for advice if this is the case.
