Agenda item

10:30am

An analysis of deaths reported to CDOP and reviewed by CDOP in 2021/22, 2022/23, and 2023/24

The Board heard from Dr Steven Senior, Consultant in Public Health and Chair of the Bury, Oldham, and Rochdale Child Death Overview Panel.

The Bury, Rochdale, and Oldham Child Death Overview Panel (CDOP) reviews all deaths of children normally resident in the three local authority areas.

The Board heard a report which provided an analysis of deaths reported to CDOP and reviewed by CDOP in 2021/22, 2022/23, and 2023/24. It also includes key demographic data on the population of children in Bury, Rochdale, and Oldham, as well as data on important contributors to child mortality, such as rates of premature births, child poverty, and homelessness among families with children.

Birth rates in Bury, Rochdale, and Oldham have fallen since 2016 but remain above average for England. The Office for National Statistics projects that the numbers of children living in the three local authority areas will be similar in 2030 to 2023.

Numbers and rates of child deaths in Bury, Rochdale, and Oldham have fluctuated year to year but overall stayed constant. Child death rates have tended to be higher than average for England in Oldham and Rochdale while rates in Bury have been similar to the England average.

Children living in areas of higher deprivation continue to be more likely to die, as are children from Asian ethnic background (potentially because they are more likely than White children to grow up in areas of deprivation). Rates of child poverty and homelessness have increased since 2020/21 in all three areas covered by the report.

Along with the effects of poverty, CDOP continues to identify known, modifiable risk factors in its reviews of child deaths. 57% of deaths reviewed by CDOP between 2021/22 and 2023/24 had one or more risk factors identified. The most common category of modifiable factor were factors relating to the physical environment and factors relating to service provision (both present in 41% of deaths reviewed).

 Known modifiable risk factors identified in reviews of child deaths included: smoking, alcohol misuse, and substance misuse during pregnancy and in the households; Unsafe sleeping arrangements, potentially linked to overcrowded housing or alcohol use by one or both parents; and Parents who are blood relatives, linked to 25.9% of deaths categorised as due to ‘chromosomal, genetic, and congenital anomalies’.

Based on the analysis of deaths reported to and reviewed by CDOP, as well as of the publicly available data presented above, this report recommends that:

· Child poverty: Health and Wellbeing Boards should note the worsening in measures of child poverty and to work with local partners to ensure that local antipoverty plans address increases in childhood poverty.

· Smoking, alcohol, and substance misuse: Health and Wellbeing Boards, with partners, should continue to work to reduce smoking, alcohol, and drug misuse in pregnancy by:

 1) Ensuring smoking status and alcohol or substance misuse problems are identified early by ensuring that pregnant people are asked about smoking status, alcohol use, and substance use, that this information is recorded, and referrals to appropriate services are made; and

2) Continuing wider work to reduce the prevalence of smoking, alcohol misuse, and substance misuse across the population and ensuring provision of smoking cessation and drug and alcohol treatment services.

 · Safe sleeping arrangements: Health and Wellbeing Boards, with partners, should continue to promote safe sleeping practices, noting the possible relationship between unsafe sleeping arrangements and overcrowded or otherwise inappropriate housing and with alcohol use by parents. Safeguarding partnerships should ensure for children who have additional vulnerabilities that are captured in child protection or child in need plan.

· Consanguinity: Health and Wellbeing Boards should work with partners and community organisations to raise awareness of the increased risk of death and illness faced by children born to parents who are close blood relatives and assure themselves that genetic counselling and testing services are being offered appropriately.

Members discussed the work being done to tackle some of the issues highlighed in the report and noted that smoking in pregnancy was at an all time low and below 10%. Work is also being done to educate parents on safe sleeping and progress has been made.

Members were in agreement that child poverty seems to be the underlying cause of the majority of child deaths and tackling child poverty should continue to be a priority.

RESOLVED that, the Health and Well Being Board note the Child Death Overview Panel Report.