Child death overview panel (CDOP)
The Pan-Cheshire CDOP has been set up by Child Death Review (CDR) Partners for Cheshire which comprises Warrington, Halton, Vale Royal, Eastern Cheshire, South Cheshire and West Cheshire CCGs and Warrington, Halton, Cheshire East and Cheshire West & Chester Councils to review the deaths of children under the requirements of the Children Act 2004 and Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018.
What is the purpose of the Child Death Review Process (CDRP)?
The purpose is to collect information about the deaths of all children in the area so the Child Death Overview Panel can:
- Document, analyse and review information in relation to each child that dies in order to confirm the cause of death, determine any contributing factors and to identify learning arising from the process that may prevent future child deaths
- To make recommendations to all relevant organisations where actions have been identified which may prevent future deaths or promote the health, safety and wellbeing of children
- To contribute to local, regional and national initiatives to improve learning from Child Death Reviews
What is the Child Death Overview Panel?
CDOP is a multi-agency panel responsible for reviewing information on all child death’s up to the age of 18 across Pan Cheshire.
Who is on the Child Death Overview Panel?
The Panel is chaired by Independent Chair and has representatives from:
- Local Authority Children’s Services and Education
- Child Health Services such as paediatrics, nursing, general practitioners and midwifery
- Police
- Public Health
On occasion the Panel co-opt experts to assist their information gathering and analysis when needed.
How do the reviews happen?
The Child Death Overview Panel meet six times a year. All the information presented to the Panel is anonymised, strictly confidential and is treated with sensitivity and respect.
How do we Involve parents and family members in the CDRP?
The parents of each child receive a letter along with an NHS England Child Death Review booklet following the death of their child. Both advise them about the Child Death Review Process and how they can express their views and contribute into it if they wish.
How does the Panel report its findings?
The Child Death Overview Panel provide an annual report to the relevant Health and Wellbeing boards in each Cheshire area. All reports prepared by the Panel are based on aggregated information, and no personal case information is included in them.
The statutory framework that underpins this information is laid down in Chapter 5 of Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018).
For further information access Pan Cheshire Child Death Overview Panel (CDOP)