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Child Death


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Why Review Child Deaths?

Every Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) must review the death of each child (up to the age of 18 years) who is resident in their area.

The purpose of this review process is to identify how many child deaths were either avoidable or potentially avoidable. The more we can understand about how and why children have died, the more we can learn from their deaths.

This information also enables LSCBs to identify trends and patterns occurring in particular areas of the borough.


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Notification of a Child Death

If you have been involved with a child who dies, you may be asked to complete the initial data-gathering Child Death Notification Form B (Word, 343Kb).

You may be requested to attend the Child Death Overview Panel at which the case is discussed, depending on your level of involvement with the child.

For more information on this process, please contact the Child Death Overview Panel administrator on lscb@haringey.gov.uk

For more detailed information, download the London Safeguarding Children Board's Child Death Overview Panel Terms of Reference (PDF, 144Kb).

Parents of children who have died will need to understand the process of the Child Death Review - they can be given the LSCB leaflet Child Death Review - A Guide for Parents and Carers (PDF, 470Kb).


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The Child Death Overview Panel

The Child Death Overview Panel meets quarterly.

In the event of an unexpected child death, a strategy meeting may be called to review the death.

For more information, please contact:

Child Death Overview Panel Administrator
First Floor, 48 Station Road
Wood Green
London
N22 4TY
Tel: 020 8489 1894
Email: lscb@haringey.gov.uk

Single Point of Contact (SPOC) &
Child Death Coordinator for Health  
Email: suzanne.dale@haringey.nhs.uk


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How Does the Review Happen?

Information about a child and the circumstances surrounding his or her death is collected and summarised into a short report from records held by hospitals, local health services, schools, police, children's social care services and any other involved agencies.

A small Child Death Overview Panel of doctors, other health specialists and child care professionals must consider the report to be clear about:

  • What caused the child's death
  • Whether, if the death was unexpected, there was an appropriate rapid response
  • What additional training or resources might be needed to provide an effective inter-agency response
  • Any public health issues
  • What support and treatment (if any) was offered to the child and their family

The Child Death Overview Panel must consider what lessons might be learned and whether they can make any recommendations to improve practice. These recommendations must be shared with the local health trusts, children's services and police, as well as specialist agencies (such as the fire services, or traffic authorities) as appropriate.

In some more complex circumstances, cases may be referred to a regional panel for a wider range of specialists to consider.

Local information will be collected in an annual analysis by the LSCB.



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Downloads


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