Serious Incident Notifications

SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER

This policy sets out the steps that must be taken following a serious incident. A serious incident is defined as when a child or young person dies or is seriously harmed in the local area or a child who ordinarily resides in the area dies or is seriously harmed outside of England and Wales, and

  • Slough Children First knows or suspects that a child has been abused or neglected; or
  • The child or young person was looked after by Slough Children First.

AMENDMENT

In September 2024, this chapter was updated in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children, which provides that the local authority should also notify the Secretary of State for Education and Ofsted of the death of a care leaver up to and including the age of 24. This should be notified via the Child Safeguarding Online Notification System. The death of a care leaver does not require a rapid review or local child safeguarding practice review. However, safeguarding partners must consider whether the criteria for a serious incident have been met and respond accordingly, in the event the deceased care leaver was under the age of 18. If local partners think that learning can be gained from the death of a looked after child or care leaver in circumstances where those criteria do not apply, they may wish to undertake a local child safeguarding practice review.

1. Reporting Serious Incidents Locally

A notification may come from a variety of sources including police, health, or another partner.

Notifications will normally be made via Slough Children First Front Door 01753 875362 sloughchildren.referrals@scstrust.

In some cases, notifications may come via the Child Death Overview Panel Coordinator.

Out of hours: 01344 786543, EDT@bracknell-forest.gov.uk.

When a notification is made that a child has died, or been seriously injured that staff member receiving the notification must:

  • Gather as much information as possible about the identity of the child and the circumstances of the death or serious injury;
  • Report the fact to their manager;
  • If the child is known to Slough Children First, then the child's social worker and their manager must be notified;
  • Inform Slough Children First Chief Executive and Director of Operations;
  • Inform the Head of Quality Assurance and Safeguarding providing sufficient information to decide if the incident is notifiable.

When it is agreed that an incident is notifiable it must be completed within 5 working days.

This will ensure that all local procedures for notifications are being followed.

Based on information provided the Head of Quality Assurance and Safeguarding will consider:

  • If there is suspected or known abuse or neglect;
  • If the child was looked after;
  • If they were a Care Leaver Up to and Including the Age of 24;
  • If the case may receive media attention;
  • Whether to notify the National Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel.

Local procedures include:

  • Notification to the Local Safeguarding Partnership or multi-agency safeguarding arrangements once in place;
  • Notification to the Child Death Review Panel if the criteria are met;
  • Notification of other local authorities if the incident raises concerns about the safety of other children in their area, or if the child was placed by them in Slough.

For arrangements and outcomes for notification to the LSCP and the child death review panel see Slough LSCP Procedures and Pan Berkshire Child Death Overview Panel.

2. Reporting Serious Incidents Nationally

Local authorities in England must notify the national Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel within 5 working days of becoming aware of a serious incident.

See the National Child Safeguarding Practice Review panel notification form.

The notification will also be sent to Ofsted and the Department for Education automatically.

Only registered users can notify serious incidents, and all user accounts are authorised by the Head of Quality Assurance and Safeguarding.

When notifying the National Panel of a serious incident, you must raise only one notification per incident, even if more than one child is affected. You can include:

  • Details of up to four children per incident;
  • Further information, including details of other children involved.

No personal details or names of children should be shared through the notification system.

Please note any serious incident notifications should be copied to the Head of QA and Safeguarding (sandra.davies@sloughchildrenfirst.co.uk).