When a child dies: Learning from the experiences of bereaved families and carers
Document Type
Reports
Summary
The National Hub for Reviewing and Learning from the Deaths of Children and Young People report explores the experiences of bereaved families and carers following a review into the death of their child.
This report is based on a survey produced in collaboration with third sector colleagues:
- Child Bereavement UK
- Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS)
- Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity
It highlights the vital importance of learning from child deaths. And keeping the voices of families and carers front and centre. This lets us gain invaluable insights into what went wrong. It also shows where improvements can help prevent potentially avoidable deaths of children and young people.
The survey’s findings show that the levels of support received by families varied across Scotland. But it found examples of excellent, compassionate care were present throughout the country. The report shines a light on the significant emotional impact that the loss of a child has on families and carers. It highlights the important role that clear and consistent communication has. This clear communication ensures that families understand the review process and feel supported.
The report makes eight recommendations. These apply to:
- NHS boards
- local authorities
- public protection committees
- third sector organisations
- the National Hub
The recommendations will help improve the review process for families and carers. Recommendations emphasise the importance of conducting reviews into the deaths of children and young people. These should be conducted in a manner that is flexible, sensitive and family-orientated. Identifying a key contact for the family before, during and after the review process is also recommended. This will improve the review process. Systems should be developed to monitor the quality of reviews. This will ensure that the interests of families and carers are represented throughout.