Child Death Review Team
In February this year the office became responsible for supporting the work of the NSW Child Death Review Team (CDRT). The Team was previously supported by the Commission for Children and Young People. The Ombudsman is the convenor of the CDRT, and staff from the Ombudsman’s office provide support and assistance to the Team in the exercise of its functions.
The CDRT reviews the deaths of all children in NSW. The CDRT consists of the Ombudsman; the Commissioner for Children and Young People; representatives from the Departments of Human Services, Health, Education and Community, Attorney General and Justice, the NSW Police Force, and the Office of the NSW Coroner; and individuals with expertise in relevant fields, particularly healthcare research methodology and child protection.
The Team:
- maintains the register of child deaths occurring in NSW
- classifies those deaths according to cause, demographic criteria and other relevant factors
- analyses the information in the register in order to identify trends relating to those deaths; and
- undertakes research and makes recommendations as to legislation, policies, practices and services to prevent or reduce the likelihood of child deaths.
The Team is required to provide a report to the NSW Parliament every year about its work and activities in relation to child death reviews. The Team also reports to Parliament on research it undertakes.
Current Child Death Review Team members (as at October 2011):
Mr Bruce Barbour (Convenor) - NSW Ombudsman
Ms Megan Mitchell Commissioner - NSW Commission for Children & Young People
Ms Helen Freeland - A/Deputy Chief Executive, Operations, Community Services
Ms Anne Marie Dwyer - Executive Director, Prevention and Pathways, Ageing, Disability and Home Care
Ms Robyn Bale Director - Student Achievement and Community Partnerships, Department of Education and Communities
Detective Superintendent Peter Cotter - Commander Homicide, NSW Police Force
Mr Maurice Taylor - Coordinator, Coronial Information & Support Unit, State Coroner’s Office
Mr Marcel Savary - Courts Policy Manager, Department of Attorney General and Justice
Professor Ngiare Brown - Medical Officer, Australian Indigenous Doctors Association
Dr Jonathan Gillis - National Medical Director, Organ and Tissue Authority
Dr Ella Sugo - Paediatric Pathologist, Sydney Children’s Hospital
Professor Heather Jeffery - International Maternal and Child Health, University of Sydney/Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Dr Bronwyn Gould - General Practitioner
Dr John Howard - Senior Lecturer, National Drug & Alcohol Research Centre, University of NSW
Mr Steve Kinmond - Deputy Ombudsman Community & Disability Services Commissioner, NSW Ombudsman’s Office
Professor Les White - Chief Paediatrician for NSW
Dr Luciano Dalla-Pozza - Head of Department and Senior Staff Specialist (Oncology), Children’s Hospital at Westmead
Dr Susan Adams - Director, Division of Surgery and Senior Staff Specialist, Paediatric General Surgeon at Sydney Children’s Hospital
Dr Helen Somerville - Visiting Medical Officer, Department of Gastroenterology, Children’s Hospital at Westmead
Professor Megan Davis - Director, Indigenous Law Centre, University of NSW
Professor Ilan Katz - Director, Social Policy Research Centre, University of NSW
NSW Child Death Review Team Annual Report 2010
This is the fifteenth report of the NSW Child Death Review Team, and the first since the NSW Ombudsman became Convenor of the Team and responsibility for support and assistance for the Team transferred to our office from the NSW Commission of Children and Young People. The report provides information on 589 children and young people whose deaths were registered in NSW in 2010.
Tell us what you think of the Child Death Review Team Annual Report 2010
The Team is keen to find out who uses this report, and to hear what people who read the report think about how it is written, what information it provides, and how it could be improved.
Please visit:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JFC9Q9D
to complete a short survey. Your views would be much appreciated.
Resources:
NSW Child Death Review Team Annual Report 2010
Unresolved issues in the transfer of the NSW Child Death Review Team to the Office of the NSW Ombudsman
Fact sheet No 3: Reviewable deaths - children and young people, and people with disabilities
NSW Commission for Children and Young People
