The birth of a baby who is born alive must be registered, whatever the length of the completed pregnancy. The death of a baby born alive must be registered in the same way as any other death.
When a baby is stillborn (born dead) after 24 weeks pregnancy, the stillbirth must be registered in the stillbirth register. The process for registering a stillbirth combines features of both birth and death registration.
There is no provision to allow the registration of stillbirths before the 24th week of pregnancy. Hence, because there is no registration of birth, there can be no registration of death.
So, either with a death certificate or after 24 weeks pregnancy, you are legally obliged to have a burial or cremation.
So what is a Shooting Star Ceremony?
This is a ceremony for those who have been unfortunate enough to lose a baby before 24 weeks pregnancy and have had no ability to register the birth or death. So there is no legal requirement to have a funeral but there is an absolute requirement to give the parents the opportunity to recognise the life that has just been lost.
Having been through this situation myself on more than one occasion, I know how important it is to be able to grieve and think about the life that has been lost.
I would feel it a great privilege to deliver a Shooting Star Ceremony that is relevant and personal for you.