1. Black Country records increasing child mortality rates
2. Surge in child deaths documented in Black Country records.
Accident – Death – Obituary News : Wolverhampton, Walsall, and Dudley have all witnessed a distressing increase in the number of child deaths, according to newly released data. A recent report presented to Walsall Council’s Health and Wellbeing Board revealed that between April 2022 and March 2023, a total of 128 children under the age of 18 tragically lost their lives in the area. This alarming trend has been particularly pronounced in Walsall, Wolverhampton, and Dudley, where the number of child deaths has risen compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, Sandwell, which already has the highest figures, has seen no change in its statistics.
The Black Country Child Death Overview Panel (CDOP) has undertaken a thorough review of 96 out of the 128 reported child deaths, with the remaining cases still under investigation. During the period under review, Sandwell recorded 40 child deaths, while Dudley reported 35, a notable increase from the previous year’s figure of 27. Similarly, Walsall documented 29 child deaths during the same timeframe, marking a rise of 11 from the previous year. Wolverhampton, on the other hand, recorded 24 child deaths, representing a significant increase of 13 over the previous year.
Breaking down the data further, of the 128 child death notifications, 57 were aged between zero and 27 days, 22 were aged between 28 and 364 days, 16 fell within the one to four age bracket, another 16 were aged between five and nine years, and the remaining 17 notified child deaths were in children aged 10 years and older.
The CDOP is dedicated to identifying “modifiable factors” that may have contributed to these tragic deaths and sharing their findings to help prevent similar incidents in the future. Common factors that have emerged from their investigations include smoking, alcohol and substance misuse, and maternal obesity, which have been identified as prevalent in perinatal and neonatal deaths. Additionally, the report highlighted unsafe sleeping arrangements as a significant contributing factor in sudden or unexpected child deaths.
This concerning rise in child deaths across the Black Country underscores the importance of ongoing efforts to address the underlying causes and implement preventive measures to safeguard the well-being of children in the region..
Black Country records child deaths
Rise in child deaths Black Country records.
