A consultation has opened on how the Bailiwick should modernise how births are registered, as laws date back to 1935.
In 2020, the States of Guernsey agreed that the birth registration system should recognise a wider range of family types, including same-sex couples, unmarried couples, and single parents, alongside heterosexual couples.
The Policy & Resources Committee is now seeking public input on proposals, put together with Health & Social Care and Employment & Social Security.
Key proposals include:
- Introducing a ‘second parent’ option on birth certificates to allow same-sex female couples to both be named on the birth certificate without needing to go through the adoption process.
- Introducing parental orders for those who use a surrogate.
- Allowing both parents to record their occupation and any previous names, rather than limiting this information to the father’s occupation and the mother’s maiden name.
The consultation also seeks views on secondary proposals, such as whether the birth register should indicate when a donor has been used.
Those wanting to comment on the proposals should email birthregconsultation@gov.gg to provide feedback.
The consultation closes at midnight on Monday 29 June 2026.
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