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2.4.2 Death of or Serious Injury: Child in Need (Under Review)

SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER

This chapter applies to all Children in Need, including Looked After Children

LONDON CHILD PROTECTION PROCEDURES

If there are concerns regarding the unexpected death of a child, please see London CPP, London Child Death Overview Panel Procedure.

For procedures relating to Serious Case Reviews, see London CPP, Section 19, Serious Case Reviews.


In the event of a death, serious injury, serious accident or illness (e.g. the outbreak of any infectious of Notifiable Disease) of a Child in Need, the following people must be notified:

  • The child’s social worker and his/her Line Manager;
  • If the Child is Looked After, the Manager of the home and his/her Line Manager;
  • The Director of Children and Families.

In consultation with relevant Line Manager(s), the Director of Children and Families will decide what actions to take e.g.

  • Notify the Director of Children’s Services, who will decide whether the Chairman of Children’s Social Care Services Committee needs to be informed.
  • Obtain advice from Legal Services/Social Care Legal Team;
  • Notify/consult the Insurance Section of the Finance Department;
  • Notify/consult the Press Office e.g. if the nature of the death is such that it might warrant public attention
  • Following advice from the Press Office and Legal Services, inform/consult the parents and siblings/relatives;
  • Notify/consult the child’s school and other agencies/professionals known to the child;
  • In consultation with the parent(s)/carers, make arrangements for the funeral (in the event of sudden, unexplained deaths arrangements for the funeral may need to be delayed);
  • Agree any necessary expenditure including reasonable travel expenses to assist the family in attending the funeral where it appears there is financial hardship;
  • If the death was unexpected, consideration should be given to implementing Haringey's Rapid Response Procedures, see Rapid Response in the Event of an Unexpected Death.
  • Whether a Serious Case Review is required (see Section 19 London Child Protection Procedures/Serious Case Reviews); or whether it is necessary to conduct a Management Review;
  • If the Child is Looked After, report the death to the Ofsted and the Department for Education (DfE) (The Children in Care Division), who will require a report - headings listed below.
  • The Health and Safety Executive Incident Contact Centre

The matters that should be included in the report to Ofsted and the Department for Education (DfE) are:

  1. The name of the Local Authority
  2. Child’s Name
  3. Date of Birth
  4. Date of Death
  5. Child’s Legal Status
  6. Type of Placement (if residential, the name and type of Children’s Home should be included)
  7. Address of Placement
  8. Cause of Death as on Death Certificate
  9. Dates if any when child was subject to a Child Protection Plan.

End