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Essex Safeguarding Children Board

Child Death Reviews

CDR Process

The Child Death Overview Panel (CDOP) is responsible for reviewing the deaths of children who are normally resident in Southend, Essex, and Thurrock, regardless of the cause—natural, unnatural, known, or unknown—and regardless of where the death occurred (home, hospital, or community).

Purpose of the Review

The review process aims to:

  • Reduce the number of childhood deaths
  • Identify concerns affecting the safety and welfare of children
  • Highlight public health or safety issues arising from individual or patterns of deaths
  • Coordinate agency responses to all unexpected child deaths

SUDI Practice Tool

Following a thematic review of Sudden Unexpected Deaths in Infancy (SUDI) across Southend, Essex, and Thurrock, the SUDI Practice Tool has been developed for use by professionals across all agencies.

This tool is designed to:

  • Encourage curious conversations with families of young infants
  • Support non-judgemental discussions around sleeping environments
  • Provide tailored advice and support based on individual family circumstances

The guidance aligns with The Lullaby Trust’s best practice recommendations and supports current practice and risk assessment.

Watch the video explaining SUDI and the Practice Tool.

Learn more about Safer Sleep.

Notification of a child death

Any agency becoming aware of:

  • a child death occurring in Essex 
  • a death of a normally resident Essex child occurring elsewhere

should make a notification to the SET Child Death Review Manager via their nominated Child Death Review lead.

To notify us of the death of a child resident in Essex, Southend or Thurrock area please follow the link below to complete your Notification Form within 24hrs.

Link to complete Notification Form 

If you have any problems with submitting a notification via the above link please contact us at tpa-tr.SET-CDR-RRT@nhs.net or by telephone on 01279 357996.

Please remember that you must also inform the Child Health Information Service using the following email addresses:

West Essex: hct.eoechis.blmk-hwe@nhs.net 

North-east, Mid & South Essex: hct.eoechis.mse-snee@nhs.net 

Further information on Child Death Reviews can be found here.

Child Death Review Team (Health)

The Child Death Review Team (Health) can be contacted on 01279 357996 or by email at tpa-tr.SET-CDR-RRT@nhs.net

Resources & Support

Documents

Safety Notices

Support for Bereaved Parents

Further Reading

Amnesty International – Before Our Eyes
(This video highlights the impact of homelessness and temporary accommodation on child mortality. Viewer discretion advised.)