• Process for a serious case review
• Overview reports
• Local reports

Chapter 8 of Working Together to Safeguard Children sets out the purpose and process of serious case reviews (SCRs). SCRs are undertaken when a child dies (including suicide), and abuse or neglect is known or suspected to be a factor in the death. Additionally they can be undertaken where:

• a child sustains a potentially life-threatening injury or serious and permanent impairment of health and development through abuse or neglect; or
• a child has been subjected to particularly serious sexual abuse; or
• a parent has been murdered and a homicide review is being initiated; or
• a child has been killed by a parent with a mental illness; or
• the case gives rise to concerns about inter-agency working to protect children form harm.

The purpose of SCRs are to:

Establish whether there are lessons to be learned from the case about the way in which local professionals and agencies work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children

• Identify clearly what those lessons are, how they will be acted on, and what is expected to change as a result
• As a consequence, improve inter-agency working and better safeguard and promote the welfare of children

Please note that Chapter 8 has been updated in 2009