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1.3.5 Death of or Serious Illness/Injury in Relation to a Child in Need

SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER

This chapter sets out the procedures to be followed in Children and Families that are in addition to those required by the Safeguarding Children Board. It was updated in April 2010.


Contents

  1. Death of a Child in Need                                  
  2. Serious Injury Regarding a Child in Need             


1. Death of a Child in Need

Where information comes to notice of the death of a Child in Need, the following actions are required, depending on the legal status of the child.

1.1 Death of a Looked After Child

Where information comes to notice of the death of a Looked After Child, the following tasks are required.

  1. The child’s social worker or any other member of staff who first learns about the child’s death will obtain as much information as possible on the circumstances surrounding the cause of death and immediately inform the Divisional Manager.
  2. Out of Hours: If the death or serious injury takes place outside of office hours, the Emergency Response Team should be contacted. The team will arrange for the Divisional Manager to be contacted. In discussion with the Divisional Manager, the ERT social worker should decide on arrangements for notifying parents or person with parental responsibility.
  3. During office hours: The manager will:
    1. Immediately inform the Divisional Manager by telephone and then confirm details in writing as soon as possible afterwards.
    2. Advise and obtain advice as required by the Legal Services initially by telephone, then confirm details in writing;
    3. Contact the Insurance Section of the Finance Department, initially by telephone and then in writing;
    4. Discuss with the Divisional Manager responsibility for contacting the Press Office if the nature of the death is such that it might warrant public attention
    5. Inform parents in person wherever possible, following any advice given by the Legal and/or Insurance section in the event of any liability matter.  If the child’s sibling(s) is looked after, arrangements should be made to inform the child(ren) about the sibling’s death.
    6. Discuss with the parent(s) and reach agreement regarding the arrangements for the funeral (in the event of sudden, unexplained deaths arrangements for the funeral may need to be delayed)
    7. Agree any necessary expenditure including reasonable travel expenses to assist the family in attending the funeral where it appears there is financial hardship.
  4. The Divisional Manager will:
    1. Inform the Chief Officer, who will decide whether to notify members.
    2. Agree with the Chief Officer a press interest strategy
    3. Consider the appropriate manager to conduct a Management Review (For Guidance in relation to Management Reviews, see Incidents Guidance.)
    4. Consult the Divisional Manager for Safeguarding and consider whether a Serious Case Review is required; and
    5. Inform the Secretary of State for Education and Ofsted using the Notification Form for Serious Childcare Incidents.
  5. The Child's social worker or nominated member of staff will be required to prepare the Notification Form that the Divisional Manager will arrange to send to the Regulatory Authority with a covering letter. A copy of the report should be kept in the child's file and will contain details of:
    1. 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 made subject to a Child Protection Plan.
    10. The date and findings of the Inquest and any criminal proceedings initiated. It may be necessary to notify these details at a later date
    11. Brief details of the case including care history, and action being taken including funeral arrangements. Please indicate if parents have been notified of the death and the support being made available to them
    12. Policy and practice issues raised and intended local authority action (to follow later if necessary).
  6. The Social worker should notify the Health Authority, Education Service and any other relevant authority or party with an interest in the child's circumstances.
  7. The social worker should also consider the need for bereavement counselling for those affected.  If the death occurred in relation to a child with palliative care needs, the Palliative Care Team  can provide bereavement counselling.

1.2 Death of other Child in Need

If a Child in Need who is not Looked After dies, the social worker should inform his/her manager, who should notify the Divisional Manager who will decide what further action is required.  This may include the following:

  1. Notifying the Chief Officer, who will decide whether to notify members.
  2. Consider whether it is appropriate to conduct a Management Review.  For Guidance in relation to Management Reviews, see Incidents Guidance.
  3. Consult the Divisional Manager for Safeguarding and consider whether a Serious Case Review is required.
  4. Consider how any press interest will be managed

Consideration should be given to the need for bereavement counselling for those affected.  If the death occurred in relation to a child with palliative care needs, the Palliative Care Team can provide bereavement counselling.

If a Child in Need who is not Looked After dies, the social worker should inform his/her manager, who should notify the Divisional Manager who will decide what further action is required.  This may include the following:

  1. Notifying the Chief Officer, who will decide whether to notify members.
  2. Consider whether it is appropriate to conduct a Management Review.  For Guidance in relation to Management Reviews, see Incidents - General Guidance.
  3. Consult the Divisional Manager for Safeguarding and consider whether a Serious Case Review is required.
  4. Consider how any press interest will be managed

Consideration should be given to the need for bereavement counselling for those affected.  If the death occurred in relation to a child with palliative care needs, the Palliative Care Team can provide bereavement counselling.


2. Serious Injury Regarding a Child in Need

Where a Child in Need is seriously injured or suffers from a serious accident, illness or the outbreak of any infectious of Notifiable Diseases, the following actions are required, depending on the legal status of the child.

2.1 In regard to a Looked After Child

Where information comes to notice of serious injury to a Looked After Child, the following tasks are required.

  1. Obtain as much information as possible on the circumstances surrounding the injury, and the child’s current condition and immediately inform the home/team manager or Emergency Response Team. 
  2. The social worker’s line manager will:
    1. Immediately inform the Divisional Manager by telephone and then confirm details in writing as soon as possible afterwards.
    2. Advise and obtain advice as required by the Legal Services initially by telephone, then confirm details in writing;
    3. Contact the Insurance Section of the Finance Department, initially by telephone and then in writing;
    4. Discuss with the Divisional Manager responsibility for contacting the Press Office if the nature of the serious injury is such that it might warrant public attention
    5. Inform parents in person wherever possible, following any advice given by the Legal and/or Insurance section in the event of any liability matter.  If the child’s sibling(s) is Looked After, arrangements should be made to inform the child(ren) about the sibling’s death.
    6. Agree with the hospital the arrangements for the parent(s) and carer(s) to visit the child in hospital. The social worker will then communicate this to the parent(s) and carer(s).
    7. Agree any necessary expenditure including reasonable travel expenses to assist the family in visiting the child where it appears there is financial hardship.
    8. Where the child was placed in foster care or residential care, advise the Regulatory Authority initially by telephone followed with written information.
  3. The Divisional Manager will:
    1. Inform the Chief Officer/Director of Children's Services;
    2. Consider the appropriate manager to conduct a Management Review (For Guidance in relation to Management Reviews, see Incidents - General Guidance.)
    3. Consult the Divisional Manager for Safeguarding and consider whether a Serious Case Review is required.
    4. Agree with the Chief Officer a press interest strategy
    5. Consider whether it is appropriate to inform the Secretary of State for Education and Ofsted if not already done. If so, this should be done using the Notification Form for serious childcare incidents
  4. The social worker should notify the Health Authority, Education Service and any other relevant authority or party with an interest in the child's circumstances.

2.2 In regard to other Children in Need

If a Child in Need who is not Looked After is seriously injured or suffers from a serious accident, illness or the outbreak of any infectious of Notifiable Diseases, the social worker should inform his/her manager, who should consult the Divisional Manager and decide what further action is required.  This may include the following:

  1. Notifying the Chief Officer, who may notify members
  2. Consider whether it is appropriate to conduct a Management Review.  For Guidance in relation to Management Reviews, see Incidents - General Guidance.
  3. Consult the Divisional Manager for Safeguarding and consider whether a Serious Case Review is required.
  4. Agree with the Chief Officer a press interest strategy

End