Bereaved parents in Northern Ireland can now apply for official recognition of pregnancy losses occurring before 24 weeks, following the launch of the Baby Loss Certificate Scheme today. The initiative provides voluntary, government-issued certificates to families who have experienced miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy or other early losses, offering formal acknowledgment of a grief that was previously invisible in official records.
The scheme follows the passing of the Baby Loss Certificate Regulations in the Northern Ireland Assembly in May 2026, which secured the legal framework necessary to issue the certificates. At the Parliament Buildings launch, Finance Minister John O’Dowd and Health Minister Mike Nesbitt joined representatives from baby loss charities Sands and Tommy’s, alongside bereaved parents who campaigned for the change.
‘A simple but deeply important step’
Certificates are available to anyone who has experienced a loss prior to the end of the 24th week of pregnancy, covering miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy and termination for medical reasons. While not legal documents, they provide official recognition that previously only existed for stillbirths after 24 weeks.
Finance Minister John O’Dowd, whose department led the legislative work, described the launch as one of the most significant achievements of the current mandate. He said:
“Making Baby Loss Certificates available to those parents who have experienced the loss of a baby prior to the end of 24 weeks of pregnancy has been one of the most significant and impactful achievements of this mandate. I fully understand a Baby Loss Certificate cannot alleviate the profound grief experienced by parents following such losses, however, it is my hope that by formally recognising their loss the certificates may offer them a degree of comfort. I want to thank the parents, advocates, and organisations who have shared their stories and campaigned so thoughtfully and courageously for a Baby Loss Certificate scheme. Their voices have shaped this scheme, and their determination has made it possible.”
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt emphasised the emotional significance of formal recognition:
“I have met families who have experienced the heartbreak of baby loss and I recognise that there are few experiences more devastating. This scheme acknowledges the profound loss faced by families whose babies died before 24 weeks. While nothing can remove that pain, having official acknowledgement of that loss will mean a great deal to many parents. It is a simple but deeply important step, recognising that their baby was here, that they mattered, and that they are loved and remembered.”
‘My baby was here. My baby mattered’
Charity leaders and bereaved parents welcomed the scheme, noting it brings Northern Ireland in line with England and Scotland, where similar programmes have operated since 2024 and 2023 respectively.
Clea Harmer, Chief Executive of Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity, said:
“It is wonderful news that Baby Loss Certificates are available in Northern Ireland to anyone who has experienced pregnancy or baby loss before 24 weeks. These certificates can be an important part of many people’s bereavement journey, and while we recognise they are not something everyone wants, it is so important that bereaved parents have that choice. We understand how important it is for those who experience baby loss at any stage in pregnancy to have their baby acknowledged and remembered. Baby Loss Certificates are now available in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, with work underway to launch a scheme in Wales.”
Kelly Barnes, a Sands NI volunteer and bereaved mother, described the personal impact of the new scheme:
“For me and so many bereaved parents across Northern Ireland, a Baby Loss Certificate scheme will mean at long last we are able to get a formal recognition of pre-24 week losses, acknowledging our grief and that our babies matter. Nothing can take away the pain of losing your baby but something as simple as a Baby Loss Certificate can help to carry some of the emotional weight by officially commemorating our losses and providing support to bereaved parents as we navigate our grief journeys.”
Louise Taylor, founder of the Little Forget Me Nots Trust, highlighted how the certificates validate parental grief:
“Every day through Little Forget Me Nots Trust, I meet parents carrying the love and grief of a baby the world never got the chance to know. For many families, a scan photo, hospital appointment letter or memory box may be the only physical reminder that their baby existed. Yet they carry them into every birthday, every family milestone and every ordinary day that follows. That is why Baby Loss Certificates matter. This is not just a piece of paper. It is recognition. It gives parents permission to say, ‘My baby was here. My baby mattered. My baby is part of my family.’ Baby Loss Certificates won’t change what happened, but they can help change the conversation around early loss and create space for parents to speak about their baby openly and confidently. Thank you to the Northern Ireland Assembly and to the parents who bravely shared their stories. Your courage is helping families feel seen, recognised and understood.”
Kath Abrahams, Chief Executive of Tommy’s, the pregnancy and baby charity, noted the UK-wide context:
“We warmly welcome the introduction of Baby Loss Certificates in Northern Ireland. Parents who lose a baby before 24 weeks of pregnancy deserve recognition and compassion in the same way as those grieving the loss of a child at any time. We know how much Baby Loss Certificates mean to the tens of thousands of people who have applied since they were launched in England in 2024. Every one of those families can hopefully take some comfort from knowing that their baby, and the future they lost, is acknowledged.”
How to apply
Parents who wish to apply for a certificate can do so through the nidirect website. The application process is free and voluntary.
- Applications can be submitted at: www.nidirect.gov.uk/services/baby-loss-certificate-scheme-northern-ireland
- The scheme covers losses prior to the end of the 24th week of pregnancy
- Both parents can be named on the certificate with mutual consent
- Separate applications are required for each baby lost, including in multiple pregnancies
Bringing Northern Ireland in line
The launch follows similar schemes elsewhere in the UK. England introduced baby loss certificates in February 2024, later expanding the programme in October 2024 to include all historical losses regardless of when they occurred. Scotland established its Memorial Book of Pregnancy and Baby Loss Prior to 24 Weeks in 2023, administered by National Records of Scotland. Wales has committed to introducing a scheme but has not yet implemented it.
The Northern Ireland legislation, the Deaths, Still-Births and Baby Loss Act (NI) 2026, passed its final stage in the Assembly in December 2025, with regulations approved in May 2026.
Questions remain
While the scheme has been widely welcomed, several questions remain about its implementation and broader support for bereaved families:
- How will the scheme handle applications for losses from decades past where medical records may no longer exist?
- Will the Department of Health provide additional mental health support services to coincide with the scheme, given that applying may trigger renewed grief?
- Will certificates be available in Irish or Ulster Scots, reflecting Northern Ireland’s language commitments?
- How will uptake and impact be measured to ensure the scheme reaches those who need it most?
- With Wales still awaiting implementation, what lessons can be shared across devolved administrations to ensure consistent support for UK-wide bereavement care?
The scheme opens during Baby Loss Awareness Week 2026, offering thousands of families across Northern Ireland the opportunity to have their loss formally recognised, potentially changing how society acknowledges one of its most common but least discussed experiences of grief.