Child death review procedures
Child
Death Review Processes: Local Authority Children's Services Funding
2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11
Number
of deaths in children aged 0 to 17 years by local authority in England, in the
years 2003-2007
The attached data, shows the number of deaths of children according to
place of residence, by local authority in the years 2003-2007. Source:
Office for National Statistics
Removal
of Human Tissue from Deceased Children - Briefing Note
List
of Child Death Overview Panel Contacts for all Child Death Notifications -
Updated December 2008
Chapter 7 of Working Together to Safeguard Children sets out the procedures to be followed when a child dies. There are two interrelated processes for reviewing child deaths (either of which can trigger a serious case review):
- a rapid response by a group of key professionals who come together for the
purpose of enquiring into and evaluating each unexpected
death of a child
- an overview of all child deaths (under 18 years) in the Local Safeguarding Children's Board (LSCB) area(s), undertaken by a panel.
Child Death Overview Panels are responsible for reviewing information on all child deaths, and are accountable to the LSCB Chair. Child Death Overview Panels may serve more than one LCSB. Child death review processes became mandatory in April 2008, though LSCBs have been able to implement these functions since April 2006.
Work and resources to support the child death review processes
Providing LSCBs with appropriate support and guidance to enable them to fulfil their statutory duties has been tremendously important.
- We have recently published a
multi-agency training resource
to support LSCBs in implementing
the Child Death Review Processes. These detailed materials will enable key
professionals and, where appropriate, their managers to understand and
implement the child death review processes.
- We have developed a
'familiarisation DVD' - Why Jason Died
(DCSF, 2007) to
illustrate the roles and responsibilities of those responding to unexpected
deaths within the context of the LSCBs responsibilities. This engaging drama is
accompanied by a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs).
- In order to learn from those LSCBs who began to implement the child death
processes from 2006, DCSF commissioned Warwick University to undertake a
research study. The study,
Preventing
Childhood Deaths A study of 'Early Starter' Child Death Overview Panels
in England
, looked at the experience of LSCBs in
implementing the child death review processes.
- In collaboration with Warwick University and CEMACH (Confidential Enquiry
into Maternal and Child Heath), the DCSF have developed a
set
of templates for LSCBs to use when collecting data about child
deaths . This dataset will assist LSCBs in recording information
about each child's death as set out in Working Together (paragraph 7.7).
The data set builds on that used in a
study undertaken by CEMACH
(the Confidential Enquiry into Maternal
and Child Health), which was published in May 2008.
-
The Coroners (Amendment) Rules 2008. The Coroners Rules
1984 have recently been amended to place a duty on coroners to notify LSCBs of
all child deaths over which they take jurisdiction. The amended rule places a
duty on coroners to inform an LSCB for the area in which the child died of the
fact of an inquest or post mortem. It also gives coroners a general power to
supply information (such as reports from post-mortem examinations and documents
given in evidence at an inquest) to LSCBs. These changes, which came into
effect on 17 July 2008, will enable LSCBs to better meet their statutory
obligations, including the conduct of child death reviews. The accompanying
guidance for coroners and LSCBs is available on the Ministry
of Justice website.
This page was last updated on 04 December 2008
