New service to help parents register their baby’s birth

Help is being given to parents in the borough to make it easier to register their baby’s birth.

As well as being able to do it at the Registrar’s office at King George’s Hall, parents can now go to Little Harwood Children’s Centre to register as part of a new pilot scheme to make the process more simple.

The move, a partnership between Blackburn with Darwen Registration Services and Children Services has been a success so far, and could be rolled out to other Children’s Centres in the borough.

This new service is being introduced following a recommendation in the ‘Best Practice for a Sure Start: The Way Forward for Children’s Centres’ which forms part of the Children’s and Family Bill.

Initially birth registrations will take place by appointment only at Little Harwood Children’s Centre each Wednesday between 2pm and 4pm. If the pilot is a success and the programme is hoping to extend the number of Children’s Centres that offer this service.
Cllr Frank Connor, Blackburn with Darwen Council’s Executive Member for Children’s Services, said:

Anything that makes life easier for new parents is a good thing, and if people can go to a Children’s Centre nearer to their home it can make a difference. It is also a great opportunity for parents to look around the Children’s Centre and see the wonderful facilities for both their child and for them.

Listen to Cllr Andy Kay, Blackburn with Darwen Council’s Executive Member for Resources, talk about the new scheme:

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Zulfiqar Ali came to the children’s centre to register the borth of his 4^th child, Anayah. He said:

I have definitely found this easier. It is only a few minutes drive from my house, and it would be easy to walk here as well. I think it has made it easier as a parent and think it is a really good idea for the registrars to come out here to the children’s centre.