News
Blank Space - Birth Certificate equality for cohabiting bereaved parents
The AAPT can announce a first members-only evening webinar for 2026 on the 15th of April at 7pm
Lecture title: Blank Space – Birth Certificate equality for cohabiting bereaved parents
Date: 15th April 2026 at 7pm
Speakers
Orlanda Bryars – WAY Ambassador
Orlanda was widowed nearly four years ago when her partner died suddenly on holiday while she was pregnant. Since joining WAY Widowed and Young, she has been able to connect with other widowed mums and has been leading WAY’s campaigning activities on this matter by sharing her story to make sure unmarried bereaved parents are treated fairly.
"My late partner Julian and I were on holiday when he unexpectedly and suddenly died of a heart attack; I was five months pregnant when it happened...
It is not fair or right but, as the law currently stands in the UK, when you want to register the birth of your baby, the registrar is not allowed to add your late partner’s name to your child’s birth certificate, if you were not married when they died. Instead, there is a large blank space where the name should be."
Stephanie Patrick – WAY Chief Executive
Stephanie Patrick joined WAY as Chief Executive in August 2021. Starting her career as a professionally qualified youth worker, Stephanie has nearly 30 years’ experience of working within the third sector and has substantial experience of strategic leadership and organisational growth. She was drawn to WAY because her brother was widowed in his early 30s, so she understands some of the challenges that come with being widowed at a young age. She has led, managed and delivered services for a wide range of beneficiaries and prior to working for WAY, she was Acting Chief Executive Officer at YMCA Sutton Coldfield. Stephanie is currently a Trustee of Black Country YMCA and supports this charity by helping to ensure good governance.
About WAY
WAY Widowed and Young don’t believe it’s fair that some babies have a Blank Space on their birth certificate where their father’s name should be
Currently, women who are widowed and unmarried have to undergo a traumatic and extremely unclear (and often costly) court process to register their partner’s name on their baby’s birth certificate. More and more couples are choosing to live together without getting married. In 2022, the number of children born outside marriage in the UK surpassed the number of babies born to parents who were married or in a civil partnership for the first time since records began in 1845, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics.
We believe the system is outdated and not fit for purpose. We also believe this is a direct contravention of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 7.1:
The child shall be registered immediately after birth and shall have the right from birth to a name, the right to acquire a nationality and, as far as possible, the right to know and be cared for by his or her parents.
We are working to support those who are currently trying to make sure their baby’s father is acknowledged and to affect change.
We believe that women whose partners have died during pregnancy need a clear and simple process to register their partner on their child’s birth certificate.