View the Luton SCB Manual View the Luton SCB Manual

4.7.1 Death of or Serious Injury to a Looked After Child

Contents

  1. Death of a Looked After Child  
  2. Serious Injury to a Looked After Child 


1. Death of Looked After Child

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

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. 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. Obtain as much information as possible on the circumstances surrounding the cause of death and pass this to their line manager; and
  5. Discuss with the manager any necessary expenditure including reasonable travel expenses to assist the family in attending the funeral  where it appears there is financial hardship.

The social worker’s line manager will:

  1. Immediately inform the Service Manager and Designated Manager (Death or Serious Injury to a Looked After 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.

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

  1. Inform the Corporate Director for Children and Learning
  2. Consider the appropriate manager to conduct a Management Review
  3. Consider whether a Serious Case Review is required under the Local SCB Child Protection Procedures - Chapter 8: Serious Case Reviews, and
  4. Inform the DCSF (Department for Children Schools and Families Children in Care Division) and the Regulatory Body

For guidance in relation to Management Reviews, see Incidents - General Guidance.

The report to the Department for Education and Skills and the Regulatory Authority will include the following information in the order shown:

  • Local Authority
  • Child’s Name
  • Date of Birth
  • Date of Death
  • Child’s Legal Status
  • Type of Placement (if residential, the name and type of Children’s Home should be included
  • Address of Placement
  • Cause of Death as on Death Certificate
  • Dates if any when child was the subject of a Child Protection Plan
  • The date and findings of the Inquest and any criminal proceedings initiated. It may be necessary to notify these details at a later date
  • Policy and practice issues raised and intended local authority action (to follow later if necessary)


2. Serious Injury to a Looked After Child

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

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. Arrange with the parent(s) to visit the child in hospital;
  4. Obtain as much information as possible on the circumstances surrounding the injury and pass this to their line manager; and
  5. Discuss with the manager any necessary expenditure including reasonable travel expenses to assist the family in visiting the child where it appears there is financial hardship.

The social worker’s line manager will:

  1. Immediately inform Designated Manager (Death or Serious Injury to a Looked After 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;
  3. Contact the Insurance Section of the Finance Department, initially by telephone and then in writing; and
  4. Where the child was placed in foster care or residential care, advise the Regulatory Authority, initially by telephone followed with written information.

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

  1. Inform the Corporate Director for Children and Learning;
  2. Consider the appropriate manager to conduct a Management Review;
  3. Consider whether a Serious Case Review is required under the Local SCB Child Protection Procedures - Chapter 8: Serious Case Reviews
  4. Consider whether it is appropriate to inform the Regulatory Authority, if not already done.

For Guidance in relation to Management Reviews, see Incidents - General Guidance.

End