Child Deaths

NOTE: If a child or young person (age 0-18 years) dies please notify as a matter of urgency:

Kitty Paques
Child Death Review Co-ordinator

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS
Cambridgeshire Lockton House
Clarendon Road
Cambridge
CB2 8FH

Office: 01223 725330
Mobile: 07432 700860
Secure fax: 01223 725592
Email: Kitty.Paques@cambridgeshire.nhs.uk

This applies to all babies/children resident in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, even if they are out of area at the time of death. Deaths of children who are normally resident in another area should also be reported and the information will be passed onto the relevant co-ordinator once a decision has been made as to which LSCB will coordinate the information gathering.

Introduction

The child death overview panel has been operating since April 1st 2008 in a joint venture between Cambridgeshire Local Safeguarding Children Board and Peterborough Safeguarding Children Board.

The child death overview panel is responsible for collecting and analysing information about the death of every child under 18 years in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, with a view to:

reduction in numbers of child deaths
prevention of accidents to children
identification of and understanding of patterns of childhood death
improvement in interagency practice in this very sensitive area
education of public and of professionals working with children
highlighting any matters of concern
identifying the need for a Serious Case Review

It also has the job of overseeing the process of conducting a rapid response by a group of key professionals to enquire into and evaluate each unexpected death of a child.

Information for Parents

The death of any child is a tragedy. It is vital that all child deaths are carefully reviewed, so that we may learn as much as possible from them, to try to prevent future deaths, and to support families.

The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID) has produced a leaflet for parents, which can be downloaded here: Click here to download the leaflet.

Also see the FSID Website.