Child Death Overview Panel (CDOP)
What is the child death review process?
Since 1 April 2008 Local Safeguarding Children Boards (now Partnerships) have been required to review the deaths of all children in their area. The regulations are outlined in Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023: Chapter 6.
The purpose of the child death review process is to collect and analyse information about the death of each child who normally resides in Calderdale with a view to identifying any matters of concern affecting the health, safety, or welfare of children, or any wider public health concerns.
The Lullaby Trust has produced this helpful leaflet for parents The child death review A guide for parents and carers (March 2017).
Process for reporting a child death
The Calderdale Safeguarding Children Partnership will be asking for all notifications to be made through a new secure online portal.
Please use the following link to access the secure site and make a notification.
Who evaluates child deaths?
Data is presented to the Child Death Overview Panel which meets every two months. The Panel is run jointly with Kirklees, and looks at aspects of each individual case, and the professional agencies that had involvement ensuring a thorough investigation of each case to identify:
- how deaths might be prevented in the future
- cases giving rise to the need for a Child Safeguarding Practice Review
- matters of concern affecting the safety and welfare of children in Calderdale; and
- any wider public health or safety concerns arising from a particular death or from a pattern of deaths in Calderdale
Who sits on the Calderdale Child Death Overview Panel?
The panel is made up of senior representatives from a range of agencies including:
- Consultant in Public Health
- Serious Case Review Officer: West Yorkshire Police
- Consultant Paediatrician: Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, Calderdale Royal Hospital
- Designated Nurse for Safeguarding Children
- Head of Midwifery, Calderdale and Huddersfield Foundation Trust
The panel has the option of co-opting a professional if their specialism is appropriate to a particular case.
Further information
If you would like more information on the child death review process in Calderdale please contact:
Julia Caldwell
Calderdale Safeguarding Children Partnership and Adults Board
Princess Buildings
Halifax
HX1 1TS