This national review sets out recommendations and findings for government and local safeguarding partners to better protect infants from Sudden Unexplained Death in Infancy (SUDI). It was our second national review and was published in July 2020. The aim was to identify how to improve approaches to embed safer sleeping advice in families with children considered to be at risk of significant harm through child abuse or neglect.
The review examined 14 incidents of SUDI from 12 local areas that were representative of the 40 SUDI cases reported to the Panel between June 2018 and August 2019. It was a qualitative study, based on interviews with practitioners and families, underpinned by factual details from each case.
The findings from this review suggest the need for local working that recognises a continuum of risk of SUDI, with support and interventions that are differentiated and graded to reflect the needs of: all families; families with additional needs; and families whose children are at risk of significant harm. It proposes a ‘prevent and protect’ practice model with four key components:
- robust commissioning to promote safer sleeping within a local strategy for improving child health outcomes
- multi-agency action to address pre disposing risks of SUDI for all families, with targeted support for families with identified additional needs
- differentiated and responsive multi-agency practice with families to promote safer sleeping in the context of safeguarding concerns and other situational risks
- underpinning systems and processes with relevant policies, procedures and practice tools that support effective multi agency practice across the continuum of risk of SUDI