The death of any child is a tragedy. That’s why it’s so important that we understand and learn from what’s happened. It helps us support families going through the worst possible time in their lives and try to prevent future deaths.

We have to do what’s known as a ‘child death review’ whenever someone under 18 dies, no matter the reason. Depending on the circumstances, we’ll carry out different parts of the review. 

If you’re a parent or carer, you don’t have to go through this alone. There are organisations out there offering support and a listening ear, some specifically for parents or for other children in your life who are suffering this loss with you.

If you’re a professional working with families, you should know that Bexley, Lewisham and Greenwich are treated as a single area for the purpose of child death reviews – though each borough has a designated doctor.