 
WALSALL\WOLVERHAMPTON
SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN BOARDS
WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP
RAPID RESPONSE TEAM PROTOCOLS
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 The Rapid Response Team (RRT) comprises senior professionals involved (before or after the death) with a child who dies unexpectedly. The function of the team is to come together to enquire into and evaluate the circumstances leading to the death of the child.
1.2 In developing the concept of the Rapid Response Team it is vital that a distinction is made between the role of the RRT and that of any multi-agency enquiry team that will have already commenced the investigation into the circumstances of the child’s death.
1.3 The Rapid Response Team will offer advice and support to the enquiry. It WILL NOT duplicate the function of the enquiry team that will be proceeding with any investigation in accordance with existing protocols.
1.4 The function of the Rapid Response Team is to collect information for a report to be presented to the Child Death Overview Panel. Liaison with the enquiry team is required to facilitate an exchange of information. The Rapid Response Team may, in addition, wish to get information from other sources not directly involved at the time leading to the unexpected death, and not part of the remit of the main enquiry team.
1.5 There will be no requirement for a call-out rota in respect of the Rapid Response Team. Under normal circumstances unexpected child deaths should be referred to the team as soon as is reasonably practicable and in any case the next working day.
1.6 On occasions an incident will occur where responding agencies are unsure whether or not a child will recover from injuries or illness. A professional judgement will have to be made by the agencies concerned whether or not a referral should be made to the Rapid Response Team. The notification may be appropriate in order to facilitate the early intervention of the Rapid Response Team in the event of the child not recovering.
2. RESPONDING TO UNEXPECTED DEATHS
2.1 It is the responsibility of the Child Death Coordinator, on behalf of the Child Death Overview Panel, to collate details of ALL child deaths occurring.
2.2 Under normal circumstances all deaths, including any unexpected child death, will be referred to the Coordinator as soon as is reasonably practicable and in any case during the next working day following the death.
2.3 The key routes whereby unexpected child deaths will come to notice are as follows: -
(a) Child undergoing medical treatment.
(b) Presenting at an Accident and Emergency Department.
(c) Death confirmed at scene of an incident.
2.4 Any referral to the Coordinator will usually be undertaken by either the Designated Pediatrician or the Officer-in-Charge of the Police Public Protection Unit (that now incorporates the Child Abuse Investigation Unit).
2.5 It is unlikely that unexpected child deaths will not come to the immediate attention of the relevant agencies. In order to ensure that a ‘fallback’ position is built into the protocols, the Coordinator must develop a relationship with Coroner’s Office to ensure that no unexpected child death is missed. A further back-up is notification by the respective Registrar of Deaths.
2.6 Once notified of an unexpected child death, the Coordinator will be responsible for notifying members of the Rapid Response Team and arranging appropriate strategy meetings. Any initial meeting of the team may be confined to telephone conversations.
2.7 There will be a requirement to develop protocols with other Safeguarding Boards to ensure that any child death that takes place is referred to the appropriate area e.g. children who die whilst on holiday elsewhere in the country.
3. THE ROLE OF THE RAPID RESPONSE TEAM
3.1 The role of the Rapid Response Team is to ensure:-
(a) On-going support for any multi-agency investigation.
(b) The bereaved family is being given the appropriate level of care and support. To liaise with the person giving this support to pass on information to the family about the Child Death Overview Panel enquiry.
(c) The supervision of the standards of the enquiry remains the role of existing structures, but if concern is felt by the RRT about standards, they should liaise with the current (existing) line management structures that currently are responsible for these standards.
(d). Submit information by report on unexpected child deaths to the
Child Death Overview Panel in a consistent manner, covering the
Factors relevant to the death, particularly any preventable factors.
3.2 It is important to re-iterate that the Rapid Response Team will not duplicate the functions of any investigation e.g. in the case of death due to a road traffic collision family liaison functions will already have been arranged through the police investigation. It will be the role of the Rapid Response Team to satisfy itself that the level of support is appropriate.
4. THE COMPOSITION OF THE RAPID RESPONSE TEAM
4.1 There core membership of the Rapid Response Team will comprise senior personnel from Paediatrics, Social Care and Police (see Appendix 1).
4.2 It may be necessary to co-opt in others who are involved in the death, or who have been involved with the incident/family before or after death. This will depend upon the circumstances of the death and will be a key consideration at the initial meeting of the team.
4.3 It is vital that from the beginning all the agencies share information and work together in a coordinated, effective manner.
4.4 The level of response required will depend upon many factors including the circumstances of the death. If it is a newborn infant, a midwife might be involved. If there are parental mental health problems, an adult psychiatrist or CPN is likely to hold relevant information. With an older child other agencies may hold relevant information: this could include teachers, other educational professionals, drugs workers, YOTs staff, etc.
4.5 The meeting will be chaired by designated Pediatrician for purposes of information sharing, with relevant parties present.
4.6 It is imperative that there is a sensitive balance between the care and support of the family and gaining an understanding of the cause of death. There should be a balanced, open-minded approach by all the agencies and effective sharing of information.
5. CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE RAPID RESPONSE TEAM
5.1 The Rapid Response Team must be satisfied that any investigation is being conducted to a sufficiently high standard. If necessary, the Team should pursue information in more detail.
5.2 An early case review may identify any other work required e.g. any further visit to scene required. (It must be noted that due to the parameters selected for the Rapid Response Team this is likely to be outside 24 hours so the value may be somewhat limited).
5.3 The Rapid Response Team must have all the relevant information for the agreed data set.
5.4 The Rapid Response Team must have sufficient information to produce a report to the Child Death Overview Panel.
5.5 If it is apparent that lessons need to be learnt, then these should be acted on as soon as possible. This would then be reflected in any subsequent Serious Case Review.
5.6 Consider if a Serious Case Review is likely. If this is the case then refer to the Chair of the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board for consideration.
5.7 For those cases where a Coroner’s Enquiry will take place, due care must be taken not to pre-empt or prejudice this enquiry.
6. ALL CHILD DEATHS
6.1 The role of the Rapid Response Team is limited to circumstances involving unexpected child deaths. However, the Team should at least discuss all deaths even if to agree that a Child Death Overview Panel investigation is not required.
6.2 The Child Death Overview Panel will have responsibilities in relation to ALL child deaths. It will produce periodic (interval to be agreed) report for the respective LSCBs listing all deaths, broad category of death (e.g. infection, cancer, congenital abnormality, accident) and make recommendations based on reports on the unexpected deaths. The recommendations in particular will focus on issues that may be preventable in future cases.
6.3 It would be appropriate for the Coordinator to assume responsibility for collating details of ALL child deaths. This will provide a single point of contact and consistency in the gathering of information.
6.4 In order to ensure that no child death is missed, mechanisms with NHS Trusts, Coroners’ Officers and other Safeguarding Boards will need to be developed and maintained.
Appendix 1
WALSALL\WOLVERHAMPTON
SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN BOARD
WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP
CHILD DEATH OVERVIEW PANEL
RAPID RESPONSE TEAMS
Local Authority
|
Organisation
|
Named Individual
|
Contact Details
|
Walsall
|
West Midlands Police Walsall Public
Protection Unit
|
1
|
Pete Rowe
Acting Detective
Chief Inspector
|
0845 113 5000 Ext 78896767
01922439136
p.rowe@west-
|
|
|
|
|
midlands.pnn.police.uk
|
|
|
2
|
Andy Sheldon
Detective Sergeant
|
0845 113 5000 Ext 78896922
01922 439136
|
|
Safeguarding Board
|
1
|
Kay Child
|
01922 651123
|
|
|
|
Head of Safeguarding
|
childk@walsall.gov.uk
|
|
|
2
|
Amanda Owen
|
01922 646640
|
|
|
|
Operations Manager – Review & Child Protection
|
owena@walsall.gov.uk
|
|
Health Paediatricians
|
1
|
Vidya Rao
Paediatrician Walsall tPCT
|
01922 443903 or 07890601851 vidya.rao@walsall.nhs.uk
|
|
|
2
|
David Drew
|
01922 656880
|
|
|
|
Paediatrician Walsall tPCT
|
david.drew@walsallhospitals.nhs.uk
|
Wolverhampton
|
West Midlands Police Wolverhampton Public
|
1
|
Graeme Squire
Detective Inspector
|
0845 113 5000 Ext 78716545 DD 01902 649078/643419
|
|
Protection Unit
|
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
Matt Horton
Detective Sergeant
|
0845 113 5000 Ext 78716572 DD as above
|
|
|
3
|
Lisa Bird
Detective Sergeant
|
0845 113 5000 Ext 78716431 DD as above
|
|
Safeguarding Board
|
1
|
Jan Toplis
|
01902 550655
|
|
|
|
Head of Safeguarding
|
(Mob – 07766 473148)
|
|
|
2
|
Elizabeth Norris
|
01902 5500654
|
|
|
|
Deputy Head of Safeguarding
|
|
|
Health
|
1
|
Deepak Kalra
|
01902 307999
|
|
Paediatricians
|
|
New Cross Hospital
|
|
|
|
2
|
Angela Moore
|
0845 1110457
|
|
|
|
The Gem Centre
|
|
-
The named individuals at (1) will be the initial point of contact. Any subsequent named individuals will be contacted in the order outlined above.
-
The above forms the core group for RRT. Additional individuals will be co-opted to the team based upon an individual assessment of the death under investigation.
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