National guidance for professionals handling cases of sudden unexpected child death which draws upon University of Warwick expertise are published today (30 November 2016).

The guidelines, Sudden unexpected death in infancy and childhood, have been published by The Royal College of Pathologists (RCPath) and The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and draws on work by Dr Peter Sidebotham and Dr Joanna Garstang from the University’s Warwick Medical School.

The guidelines aim to be sensitive to the needs of grief-stricken parents while also enabling an explanation to be found and make recommendations to each profession and outline best practice for each part of the investigation process. Dr Peter Sidebotham, Associate Professor of Child Health, at Warwick Medical School said: “In my work with bereaved families, I have come across terrible situations where parents have been kept in the dark or made to feel like criminals. I have also experienced some great examples of how families have been supported through the days and weeks following their child’s death and how police and health professionals have worked together in a sensitive, thorough, and caring manner. Parents often tell me that what they want, above anything else, is to understand why their baby died, but also their hopes that by investigating their child’s death thoroughly, we can work to prevent other families having to go through a similar experience.”

The new guidance aims to help to help agencies work together to share information and keep families included at every stage. The original guidelines published in 2004 followed high profile cases of miscarriages of justice involving the prosecution of mothers for causing the deaths of their babies. These events raised serious concerns about the role of the expert witness in court, issues about standards of proof, the quality of evidence and about the procedures adopted for the investigation of sudden unexpected deaths of infants.

The 2016 edition of the guidelines have been extensively reviewed and updated by an expert working group from the healthcare, charity and justice sectors and cover multi-agency planning, supporting families, assessment of the environment and circumstances of the death, case discussion, the post-mortem and the inquest and role of the coroner. They are based on the best current international research.

Francine Bates, Chief Executive, The Lullaby Trust said: “We can never take away the tragedy of losing a baby suddenly and unexpectedly but we can ensure that families get the support they need during this terrible time in their lives. Every death must be properly investigated and parents are the first to ask why their baby died. Many professionals from different agencies become involved when an apparently healthy baby dies. It is therefore crucial that we have sensitive guidelines in place setting out how we can all work together while at the same time caring for the bereaved family.”

Baroness Helena Kennedy QC and Chair of the Working Group said: “It is important to remember that, in the majority of cases where a child dies unexpectedly and suddenly, nothing untoward has taken place. It is only in a small number of cases where something unlawful has occurred. Professionals investigating the sudden and unexpected death of a child have to strike a balance between maintaining justice for parents while ensuring the protection of the youngest amongst us who have no voice. This report takes a fresh look at how agencies can investigate unexpected deaths in infants with thoroughness, care, compassion and to the highest possible standards.”

The working group also recognises that further work is needed in the area of investigating sudden death in infancy and childhood and hope that this document will stimulate discussion and further research.

30 November 2016

Notes to Editors

Sudden unexpected death in infancy and childhood (2nd edition) - Multi-agency guidelines for care and investigation encompasses the statutory duties of individual professionals and agencies to investigate all sudden and unexpected deaths in infancy and childhood according to Working Together to Safeguard Children: A Guide to Inter-agency Working to Safeguard and Promote the Welfare of Children (Department for Education, 2015) and best evidence. Such guidance is based around regulatory structures in England, but it is intended that the principles of the guidelines can also be applied in areas in which other systems are in place.

The Royal College of Pathologists is a professional membership organisation committed to setting and maintaining professional standards and to promoting excellence in the practice of pathology. As well as medically qualified members, the College has scientists amongst its membership and represents 19 pathology specialties. It has over 10,500 members who are senior staff in hospital laboratories, universities and industry worldwide.

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH): contributes to setting and maintaining standards for the education and training of doctors working in paediatrics and child health in the UK and internationally. The RCPCH influences and shapes health policy and health services for infants, children and young people in the UK, advocates on their behalf, and strengthens the science and research base of paediatrics and child health. To date, the RCPCH has over 17,000 members and fellows.

The Lullaby Trust provides specialist support for bereaved families, promotes expert advice on safer baby sleep and raises awareness of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Working with the NHS we run a national health-visitor led service for bereaved parents, Care of Next Infant (CONI) programme, which supports families before and after the birth of their new baby. We are committed to supporting research to understand why babies die suddenly and unexpectedly and to find out more about how to reduce the risk of these tragic deaths. The Lullaby Trust also runs an information line for parents and professionals (0808 802 6869) and a dedicated line for bereaved families (0808 802 6868). Both are free to call from landlines and mobiles.

In 2008, local Child Death Overview Panels (CDOPs) were statutorily established in England, with the responsibility of reviewing the deaths of all children under 18, their main function is to prevent future child deaths. Currently there are 92 such panels and during 2015 the panels reviewed 3665 child deaths. One in five deaths is avoidable and other modifiable factors are present in one third of the cases; multiple risk factors were present in 60% of children where the death was sudden and unexpected and occurred and/or was associated with abuse or neglect

For further details please contact Nicola Jones, Media Relations Manager, University of Warwick 07920531221 or N.Jones.1@warwick.ac.uk