Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust welcomes the publication by Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Board (OSCB) today of an independent Serious Case Review (SCR) into the tragic death of a young boy, Child M, from injuries inflicted by his mother. Child M’s mother pleaded guilty to causing his death by manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and was made the subject of an indefinite hospital order under the Mental Health Act.

Also published was a Mental Health Homicide Review into the care and treatment of the mother which was commissioned by NHS England and an action plan. Both independent reviews of the case found that Child M’s death could not have been predicted or prevented by professionals working with the family.

The report concludes that the “review of records gives no indication that any of the professionals involved missed signs of a serious deterioration in the mother’s mental health or risk to Child M in the days or weeks leading up to his death.”

Richard Simpson, independent chair of the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Board, said: “This is first and foremost a human tragedy when a young boy lost his life. We have conducted a thorough review that has led to recommendations and a comprehensive Action Plan. The tragedy is that despite many workers and agencies doing excellent work to support the family they were not able to predict and, therefore, prevent this loss of life. My thoughts are with the family at this extremely difficult time”.