Child T Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review

This LCSPR is in relation to a 17 year old who died at home by suicide. Child T had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and presented with challenges because of behavioural and developmental issues.

Child T had previously been open to Children’s Services and Youth Offending Services and other statutory agencies.

In the months leading up to Child T’s death the only services involved with Child T were a special college and adult sleep clinic to help manage insomnia that was having an impact on emotional well-being, family functioning and attendance at college.

Recommendations

The resulting learning and recommendations are:

• Support for children and families around and after the process of diagnosis for ASD is in place;

• Processes are in place to support children with an EHCP who are at risk of exclusion;

• Relevant health services are included in partnership meetings for children with an EHCP;

• Multi-agency strategy meetings are held following a suicide attempt;

• Multi-agency strategy meetings consider a S.47 investigation for all siblings in the family home;

• All staff are adequately trained to care for children who are in a mental health crisis;

• A family-based practice model is in place across the partnership; and

• Agencies are listening to the views and concerns of young people transitioning from children’s to adult’s services.