The number of child deaths is increasing in most neighborhoods in Black Country

A report to Walsall Council’s health and welfare board confirmed that between 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2023 there were 128 deaths of children under 18 in the Black Country.

Walsall, Wolverhampton and Dudley saw an increase in child death notifications compared to the previous year and, although Sandwell’s figure remained the same, it is the highest of all four areas.

The report added that there has been a steady increase in the number of child deaths since 2020.

The figures showed Sandwell had 40 child deaths in 2022-23, while Dudley had 35 (compared to 27 in 2021-22).

Walsall recorded 29 in 2022-23, an increase of 11 on the previous year, while Wolverhampton had 24-13 more than 2021-22.

Of the 128 child death notifications, 57 were between zero and 27 days old, 22 were between 28 and 364 days old, 16 were between one and four years old, 16 were between five and nine years old years and 17 reported child deaths occurred in children aged 10 and over.

The Black Country Child Deaths General Review Group (CDOP) reviewed 96 of the 128 deaths, with the remaining cases still under review and taking longer due to the need for further investigations.

The panel aims to identify “modifiable factors” that caused deaths and shares findings and lessons learned to prevent them in the future. Smoking, alcohol and substance abuse, and maternal obesity have been identified as common factors in perinatal and neonatal deaths.

The report said unsafe sleeping arrangements were also a major factor in the sudden or unexpected deaths of children.

The report to the council said: “Every child death is a devastating loss which deeply affects the family involved.

“In addition to providing support to families and carers, staff involved in the care of the child should also be considered and given appropriate help.

“CDOP Blackland comprises senior professionals from multiple agencies who have knowledge and expertise in areas such as children’s social care, paediatrics, policing, public health and education.

“With an independent chairman and representatives from all commissioners’ and providers’ organizations in the Black Country, its aim is to learn lessons and share findings on preventing child deaths.

“Learning lessons from CDOP’s work is a priority and will have a positive impact on the future safety, health and wellbeing of children and young people, ensuring learning is shared widely across the area, as well as regionally and nationally.

“CDOP is responsible for identifying modifiable factors. These modifiable factors would not mean that the death was prevented, but there may be emerging trends that could reduce the risk of future child deaths.

“Where a factor has been identified as potentially relevant to the child’s vulnerability or contributed to the child’s death, the group can discuss whether there is a local and/or national intervention in place or that could be recommended to reduce the risk of future child deaths . .