Overview

This bill amends the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 to allow parents to register the death of a stillborn child regardless of gestational age. Currently, registration is restricted to stillbirths after a certain gestational age, this bill removes that restriction.

Description

The bill alters the definition of "still-born child" within the 1953 Act. The existing definition, which includes a gestational age threshold, is removed. The new definition focuses solely on the absence of breathing or other signs of life following the recognised processes of labour. This means parents can register the death of a stillborn child even if it occurred before 24 weeks of gestation.

Key Changes:

• Removes the gestational age threshold for registering stillbirths.
• Defines "still-born child" based solely on the absence of life signs after labour.

Government Spending

The bill is unlikely to have a significant impact on government spending. The main cost would likely be associated with updating registration processes to accommodate the change in legislation. No specific figures are available from the provided text.

Groups Affected

The bill primarily affects:

• Parents who experience stillbirths: This group will benefit from the ability to register the deaths of their children, regardless of gestational age, providing formal recognition of their loss and potentially access to support services.
• Registration Offices: These offices will need to adapt their processes to implement the amended definition of stillbirth.

Powered by nyModel