1.5.1 Death or Serious Injury to a Child (Looked After and Child In Need)

The child's Social Worker or, if not previously know to Children's Social Care, the duty worker receiving the information will:

1. Immediately inform his or her line manager;
2. Obtain as much information as possible on the circumstances surrounding the cause of death/serious injury and pass this to the line manager.

The Designated Manager (Death or Serious Injury to a Child) will:

1. Inform the Director of Children's Services, who will notify members as necessary;
2. Ascertain as full details as possible from the Police and any other source;
3. Request his or her administrative staff to check Children's Services records on the child and family and print out any information held;
4. Collect any files held on the child and family and secure them at his or her office;
5. Arrange to inform relevant agencies about the death/serious injury and remind them to secure their files;
6. Arrange to consider the circumstances of the death/serious injury, in accordance with the Cumbria Local Safeguarding Children Board Procedures Manual, including the need to hold a Rapid Review and, where a child has died, a referral to the Child Death Overview Panel.

Local authorities should use the Child Safeguarding Incident Notification System (trix please link to https://childsafeguarding.education.gov.uk/) to notify the Panel. The Panel  will share all notifications with Ofsted and the DfE. The report is submitted online and the contents entered must be reviewed by the Designated Manager before it is submitted. The form requires a range of information and is set out clearly in sections. Before you start you will need:

• Your sign in;
• Your phone number and email address;
• Name of each child you are notifying;
• Details of the incident.

A copy of the completed form should be saved and printed out for the records.

The child's Social Worker will:

1. Immediately inform his or her line manager;
2. Notify the parent(s) immediately and in person, if possible;
3. In the event of a child's death, 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);
4. In the event of a serious injury to the child, arrange with the parent(s) to visit the child in hospital;
5. Obtain as much information as possible on the circumstances surrounding the cause of death/serious injury and pass this to their line manager; and
6. Discuss with the line manager any necessary expenditure including reasonable travel expenses to assist the family in attending the funeral or visiting the child in hospital where it appears there is financial hardship;
7. Where the child was in a long term foster placement, discuss with the line manager any possible conflict between the carers and the parents regarding arrangements for the child's funeral;

8. Identify any sibling needs in relation to funeral or bereavement responses;

9. Maintain regular telephone or face-to-face contact (daily in initial stages) with Social Worker Fostering as determined by Childcare/Fostering planning meetings to share information and coordinate direct support contacts with carers and relevant children;

10. Maintain frequent contact with any siblings, birth parents and carers;

11. Meet with carers and Social Worker Fostering on frequent basis (at least in the initial stages) as guided by child care planning meetings until the role of the victim support police, other professionals e.g. GP, and other personal support of choice e.g. vicar/close friends is clear. It is recognised in the early stages this will be immediate loss and grief trauma and many immediate practicalities that may need support. A couple of weeks after the funeral the social worker should consider children’s needs for counselling or other supports in the medium term and make, arrangements or recommendations to the Childcare/Fostering planning meeting as needed.

The line manager will:

1. Immediately inform the Designated Manager (Death of a Child) by telephone and provide follow up information in writing as soon as possible afterwards;
2. Advise Legal Services initially by telephone, then confirm details in writing; and
3. Contact the Insurance Section of the Finance Department, initially by telephone and then in writing;

4. Chair a “Childcare/Fostering” meeting that day (or at least within 24 working hours) between the child’s Social Work Team and the Fostering Team, including the fostering manager to coordinate immediate planning and support for carers and relevant children. This will be followed by a joint visit to the carers by the childcare and fostering social workers;

5. Record a likely timeline of events from date of death, notifications to different parties, through to funeral, death certificate issuing, and any inquest in order to plan in follow up meetings;

6. Chair follow-up meetings (see above) at frequency to be determined as required to coordinate ongoing planning and support for carers and relevant children;

7. Contact carers and offer to visit so the carers understand there is an offer from the line manager in addition to that of the social worker. Keep in touch with carer on a monthly basis in order to check how satisfied they are with the coordinated support arrangements;

8. Convene meetings as and when required or in response to specific significant issues/concerns/difficulties and in advance of any up and coming inquest. This should include Team Manager from Childcare and Fostering, carers (where agreed between Team Managers) and others as appropriate;

9. Review and authorise resources needed by any siblings affected, or the circumstances of the birth parents, and ensure the social worker has obtained and provided relevant information and guidance depending on the age and understanding of children and adults;

10. The lead team manager has responsibility for reporting back to the designated manager for final authority on more complex matters.

The Designated Manager (Death or Serious Injury to a Child) (see Documents Library, Appendices) will:

1. Inform the Director of Children's Services, who will come to a decision about whether to notify Members;
2. Ensure that the parents' wishes concerning the funeral are discussed (by the Social Worker or the Team Manager), that any possible conflict with the wishes of the carers are also ascertained and addressed, and that any appropriate associated costs are met;
3. Arrange, in consultation with the Safeguarding Manager, appropriate meetings under the Cumbria Local Safeguarding Children Board Procedures Manual, including the need to hold a Rapid Review;
4. Additionally, whenever a Looked After Child dies, the local authority must inform the national Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel within 5 days using the Child Safeguarding Incident Notification System. The Panel, will share all notifications with Ofsted and the DfE. The local authority must also notify the Secretary of State and Ofsted where a Looked After Child has died, whether or not abuse or neglect is known or suspected;
5. Receive feedback and from the lead Team Manager and Team Manager fostering as required where decisions cannot be mutually agreed and determine action as needed.

The report to the Panel is the same as the previously outlined online report above.

In the event of a Child Safeguarding Practice Review being required, the steps outlined in Section 3, Needs of Social Workers / Team / Manager / Carers should be followed.