What to do in the event of a Child's Death

The deaths of all babies / children under 18 years resident in Cheshire, regardless of where the death took place, should be notified. Deaths of children not normally resident in the Cheshire area and who die here should also be notified; this information will be passed onto the relevant Panel who will then coordinate the information.  

The CDOP is responsible for the review of all deaths of children and young people from 0-18 years of age expected or unexpected, this includes perinatal and neonatal deaths (ie, any infant who was registered as a live birth) and would normally reside within the LA area. Reviews of deaths below 22 weeks gestation or following a planned termination under the abortion Act 1967 will not be carried.

Sudden Unexpected Death in Infants and Children Guidelines

Follow the Sudden Unexpected Death in Infants and Children Guidelines 2015 (PDF, 712KB)

Sudden Unexpected Death in Infants and Children - Emergency Department Guidelines (PDF, 534KB)

Child Death Process/Pathway

• Child Death Process/Pathway (PDF, 139KB)
• Pan Cheshire CDOP - Immediate decisions pro-form (PDF, 506KB)

Forms

Form A - Child Death Notification Form 2015 (MS Word, 72KB) - to be completed by the professional (Dr, nurse, paramedic, police etc) as soon as possible after the child’s death. Copies should be forwarded to the: Coroner, CDOP admin/co-ordinator, GP, lead safeguarding nurse, SUDIC Paediatrician, Social Services, on-call paediatrician’s secretary and the HV Liaison

Form B - Agency Report Form 2015 (MS Word, 392KB) - This is the form sent out to all agencies involved with a child and family. This is an essential process for the CDOP, as the information gathered is used to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and for strategic planning purposes to support effective service delivery.