Home > Chapters > 14. Child deaths > 14.3 Recording information following the death of a child

14.3 Recording information following the death of a child

Purpose

This procedure outlines the process and requirements for recording that apply in relation to the death of a child, known to the department in the three years prior to their death.

Authority

Policy No. 391-3: Critical Incident Reporting

Recording

The Case Review Unit is advised of the death of a child in two ways:

through the receipt of a critical incident report; or
through advice from the Registry for Births, Deaths and Marriages.

Following the death of a child:

a critical incident report is completed, if required, in accordance with the Critical Incident Reporting policy for all child deaths; and
a child death briefing note to the Director-General is completed by the zonal director to provide information on departmental involvement prior to the death of the child, and if there are any surviving siblings, any child protection issues for the child's surviving siblings.

The child death briefing note will consider whether the cause or circumstances surrounding the death of the child indicates harm or risk of harm to any surviving siblings, or to other children. If harm or risk of harm is identified, the relevant CSSC is required to assess this information to determine whether a child concern report or notification will be recorded.

Top of page

Client files

Note: client records must not be altered in any way following a death of a child.

Additional information may be added to case files following the death of a child. Any records, including handwritten notes or emails relied upon in recording this information, must be placed on the child's file. Where information is added to case files, either hand-written or as case notes, the following must be clearly stated:

that the recording of the information is occurring after the death of the child;
the rationale for why the information is being added after the death of the child; and
where applicable, that the information is being recorded from memory.

Where documents are 'in progress' at the time of the child's death, the document needs to clearly identify which information was recorded before the death of the child and what was recorded after the death of the child.

Top of page

Last updated: 21 April 2009