WakefieldCouncil Children and Young People Service Online Procedures

1.1

The child's social worker or, if not previously known to Children's Social Care, the duty worker receiving the information will:

1. Immediately inform their line manager;
2. Obtain as much information as possible on the circumstances surrounding the cause of death/serious injury and pass this to their line manager.

1.2

The line manager will immediately inform the Service Manager, Safeguarding & Quality Standards by telephone and provide follow up information in writing as soon as possible afterwards.

1.3

The Service Manager, Safeguarding & Quality Standards will:

1. Inform the Service Director, who will notify local authority members as necessary;
2. Ascertain as full details as possible from the Police and any other source;
3. Request that administrative staff check Children and Young People Service records on the child and family and print out any information held;
4. Arrange for any case records to be secured;
5. Arrange a process for informing other relevant agencies about the death/serious injury and to remind them to also secure their files;
6. Arrange for the circumstances of the death/serious injury to be considered, in accordance with the West Yorkshire Consortium Safeguarding and Child Protection Procedures, including the possible need to hold a Rapid Review and, where the child has died, referral to the Child Death Overview Panel.

1.4

Local authorities should use the Child Safeguarding Incident Notification System. The Panel will share all notifications with Ofsted and the DfE. The report is submitted online and the contents entered must be reviewed by the Service Manager, Safeguarding & Quality Standards before it is submitted. The form requires a range of information and is clearly set out in sections. Before you start you will need:

• Your sign in;
• Your phone number and email address;
• Name of each child you are notifying;
• Details of the incident.

A copy of the completed form should be saved and printed out for records.

In urgent situations the Service Manager, Safeguarding & Quality Standards or Service Director should telephone Ofsted on 0300 123 1231 and then complete the form. Email mailbox.nationalreviewpanel@education.gov.uk if you have any queries.

1.5

Where a Child Safeguarding Practice Review is to be held, this must be conducted in accordance with Chapter 4 in Working Together to Safeguard Children and the West Yorkshire Consortium Safeguarding and Child Protection Procedures.

2.1

The child's social worker will:

1. Immediately inform their line manager;
2. Notify the parent(s) immediately and in person, if possible;
3. In the event of a serious injury to the child, arrange with the parent(s) to visit the child in hospital;
4. In the event of a child's death, 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);
5. Obtain as much information as possible on the circumstances surrounding the cause of death/serious injury and pass this to their line manager; and
6. Discuss with their line manager any necessary expenditure including reasonable travel expenses to assist the family in attending the funeral or visiting the child in hospital where it appears there is financial hardship;
7. Where the child was in a long term foster placement, discuss with their line manager any possible conflict between the carers and the parents regarding arrangements for the child's funeral.

2.2

The line manager will:

1. Immediately inform the Service Manager, Safeguarding & Quality Standards 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;
4. Ensure that the parents' wishes concerning the funeral are discussed (by the social worker or the team manager), that any possible conflict with the wishes of the carers are also ascertained and addressed, and that any appropriate associated costs are met.

2.3

The Service Manager, Safeguarding & Quality Standards will:

1. Inform the Service Director, who will come to a decision about whether to notify the local authority Members;
2. Arrange, in consultation with the Wakefield Safeguarding Children Partnership Manager, appropriate meetings under the West Yorkshire Consortium Safeguarding and Child Protection Procedures, including the need to conduct a Rapid Review;
3. Additionally, whenever a Child in Care dies, the local authority must inform the national Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel within 5 days using the Child Safeguarding Incident Notification System. The Panel will share all notifications with Ofsted and the DfE. The local authority must also notify the Secretary of State Child in Care has died has died, regardless of whether abuse or neglect is known or suspected.

2.4

The report to the Panel is the same as outlined in Section 1.4 above. In the event of a Child Safeguarding Practice Review being required, the steps outlined in Section 3, Needs of Social Workers / Team / Manager / Carers should be followed.