Learning from Case Reviews: The importance of early planning and continuity of care for children with complex needs

Date: Wednesday, 17th Apr 2024 | Category: Uncategorised

In February, Birmingham Safeguarding Children Partnership published a Serious Case Review following an incident in 2017 in which a 3-year-old child suffered a life-changing head injury, requiring specialist care and support for the rest of their life. The review found more could have been done to understand the child’s lived experience and the parents’ vulnerabilities as a young, migrant couple. You can download the full report and supporting documentation on our BSCP2018-19-01 webpage including a Briefing Note which summarises the key learning from the review.

In March, to support with dissemination of the learning from the Serious Case Review to front-line practitioners, the BSCP hosted the webinar ‘The importance of early planning and continuity of care for children with complex needs’.  The session began with Dr Zoe Cookson, one of the Lead Reviewers, giving an overview of the case. She discussed the emerging themes and learning identified from the review, which provided attendees with a clearer understanding of the two phases of the Serious Case Review. Phase One considered agency involvement with, and services offered to, the child prior to admission to hospital in November 2017. Phase Two was commissioned in 2020 to consider the reasons for the child’s lengthy stay in hospital before discharge and the challenges agencies experienced in planning for the child’s future care.

This was then followed by a talk delivered by Graham Tilby (Assistant Director, Safeguarding (Partnerships, Birmingham Children’s Trust) and Jane Powell (Director of Safeguarding Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Trust) on effective discharge planning. The presentation explored what delayed a safe discharge in this particular case and what structures we should be using to ensure a safe discharge plan. The talk concluded by examining what ‘good’ looks like and what lessons we have learnt since 2017.

Watch the webinar in full below.