It all depends if the parents were married to each other at the time of the stillbirth or conception. If they were then either the mother or father can go to register. If they weren't then who goes will depend on a number of factors:
- if you want the father's details to be entered in the register, then both parents can go and sign the stillbirth register together
- if the father is unable to go to the register office with the mother, but you still want his details included, then he can make a statutory declaration on form 16 (available from the register office) acknowledging his paternity which the mother must give to the registrar
- if the mother is unable to go to the register office with the father, she may make a statutory declaration acknowledging the father's paternity on the same form as above which the father must give to the registrar
- If the father's details are not recorded in the stillbirth register, it may be possible for the stillbirth to be re-registered at a later date, please contact the register office 01628 796422 for details of this procedure.
Although the majority of stillbirths are registered by parents, sometimes neither the mother or father are able to attend.
In this case, registration can be done by whichever of the following people is best able to do so:
- the occupier of the house or manager of the hospital where the birth took place
- someone who was present at the stillbirth
- someone who is responsible for the stillborn child
- the person who found the stillborn child (where the date and place of the stillbirth are unknown).