The rapid response procedure applies when a child (birth up to 18th birthday, excluding babies stillborn) dies unexpectedly, or where there is a lack of clarity about whether a death of a child is unexpected. In certain circumstances, separate processes may be taking place alongside those described in this procedure (e.g. murder investigations, Section 47 Enquiries etc).
Children dying at home or in a hospice who have been undergoing end of life care will not usually be considered to have died unexpectedly and a rapid response to such deaths will not be indicated unless they die in a manner or at a time that was not anticipated. The designated paediatrician should liaise with the relevant medical personnel in these cases to decide the appropriate response to the death, including consideration of whether the child’s body should be moved to a hospital.
The purpose of the rapid response procedure is to capture immediate information about an unexpected child death while giving support to the bereaved family. This ensures that early opportunities for information gathering are not lost.
The area in which the death of a child has been declared must take initial responsibility for convening and co-ordinating the rapid response process, until agreement for handover is reached with the area where the child is normally resident.
When notified of a death abroad, the professionals responsible for child death in the local authority where the child is normally resident must consider implementing this procedure as far as is practically possible and fully record any decisions made.
The Rapid response procedures in place across Cheshire are set out in the pan-Cheshire management of Sudden Unexpected Deaths in Infants and Children (SUDIC) protocol.
This comprehensive document sets out the multiprofessional approach required to ensure proper and prompt action is taken. All practitioners should be familiar with its contents and prepared to abide by its arrangements should they be involved in any case of an unexpected child death.
