Child death review procedures
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 will become 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
Why Jason Died (DCSF, 2007), has been developed 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). Read further information on the DVD.
Warwick University has been commissioned to undertake two projects:
- A study of 'early starter' LSCBs who have begun to implement
the child death review procedures. View the early
findings and resource materials, including audit tools, sample
job descriptions and protocols etc ;
- The production of training resources for use with multi-agency, multi-disciplinary groups. These detailed materials will enable key professionals and, where appropriate, their managers to understand and implement the child death review processes.
Working Together (paragraph 7.7), sets out that LSCBs should use a national minimum dataset for collecting information about child deaths. 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 data set builds on that used in a study undertaken by CEMACH (the Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child Health), to be published in the near future.
This page was last updated on 23 April 2008
