If in attendance where the infant has been discovered

1. 999 call response.
   1. Police normally notified by ambulance service control about the 999 report.
2. Police go to the scene. If police officer first in attendance, primacy is to save life.
   1. Check whether ambulance service has been called.
3. Request a supervisory officer and detective officer to the scene.
   1. Crime Scene Manager deployed to examine and assess integrity of the scene in order to assess evidence that may indicate what had happened to the infant.

At the scene

1. Assessment of circumstances and infant.
2. CPR to be initiated or continued - see resuscitation guidelines paediatric (basic).
   1. In certain circumstances SAS will observe the guidance of the recognition of life extinct (ROLE) 2006 such as local geography in remote and rural situations. »
      Local agreements for transfer to the nearest emergency facility for assessment by medical staff and support for the parents arranged by the parties present through liaison with SAS, police, medical staff, GP, health visitor, midwife or other professionals present.
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   2. If the infant is not being taken from home to the hospital, the police will work with other agencies who are at the scene to provide information about what could have happened to the infant. In this instance a police casualty surgeon or GP may be called to the scene.
      1. Sensitively accommodate wishes of parents, where appropriate including holding the infant-in presence of police/ professional witness.
         1. If circumstances suspicious however, consult Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) first
3. Gather witness statements only if appropriate (neighbours, SAS, GP etc). Gather details to follow up in due course.
4. Infant transferred to nearest paediatric Emergency Department where trained medical staff will carry out further examination.
5. Explain to family, sensitively, role of police and Procurator Fiscal (PF).
   1. Reassure parents that this is standard procedure in all SUDI and ensures that the police gather all information which may help establish a cause of death if there is one.
6. Control the amount of activity around where the infant was found in order to preserve the scene and the integrity of any potential evidence in the rare event of criminality.
7. Record information about child from the parents or carers who are present. This will include information about the infant's health, habits and actions by those who were in contact with the infant.

Emergency Department - The usual start point for Police

1. Police may be called to hospital due to the infant being brought directly by parents and found to be gravely ill or having died.
   1. Police will send other officers to the original scene to establish circumstances leading to infant's arrival at hospital.
   2. If the infant is taken to the hospital Emergency Department and is found to be dead, the police will work collaboratively with health staff to obtain circumstances of death in a sensitive manner.
      1. Enquire whether social work department checks have been made and request if not.
      2. Request that local child protection health team is contacted if not already aware.
2. A Detective Inspector will be appointed to investigate the circumstances and they will consider suitably trained staff to liase with family.
   1. Role of Public Protection Unit will be decided by the SIO.
   2. If other children within the family, the SIO will consider conducting Joint Investigation Interviews with social work.
3. Ensure medical samples are collected and marked by medical staff as 'not for destruction' - will be collected from hospital on authority from Procurator Fiscal at later stage.
   1. Any of the infant’s belongings taken for examination (such as bedding, clothing, soft toys etc) can only be returned to parents/ carer on instruction from PF.
4. Clarify with health staff if explanation of police/ PF procedure has been given to family. Information sheet in Emergency Department SUDI pack.
5. Obtain full medical history from health staff History and Examination form, which can or may be shared with the police.
   1. Police to note statements from health staff to include any account given to them by parents/ carers.
6. Police to be accompanied by health staff wherever possible for introduction to parents.
   1. Police to obtain statement from parents separately at earliest opportunity, re. circumstances leading to death. ACPOS Investigator's guide to SUDI to be followed.
7. If called to act on behalf of the Procurator Fiscal for an in hospital SUDI make arrangements with the staff on the ward prior to visiting and where possible plain clothes officers should attend to interview staff and parents.

Report of all known circumstances of the death submitted to Procurator Fiscal by next day

1. Police submit initial report of circumstances to the Procurator Fiscal.

Police input to Pathology

1. Post-mortem examination will be arranged by the Procurator Fiscal and police will be informed.
2. At the direction of the Procurator Fiscal, the police will obtain health records from health colleagues:
   Primary care-
   GP/ health visitor/ midwife notes.
   Maternal records(ante-natal)/ obstetric notes/ child health record (red book)
3. Provide copy of the initial report of circumstances to attending paediatric pathologist.
   1. Provide any available medical records and photographs/ video of the scene prior to the post-mortem examination. Digital photographs should be made available at the earliest opportunity to accompany the History and Examination form and police report.
4. Investigating Officer must discuss matters pertaining to medical sample retention with Procurator Fiscal and paediatric pathologist and ensure that parents/ carers are informed of expected release of remains.
5. Police productions officer will collect and store for evidence and further examination any items or samples taken at post mortem examination.
   1. These items may only be returned to the family on instruction from the Procurator Fiscal. Police should contact the family to discuss what items they would wish returned, and when would be convenient to return them. No items should be returned without prior discussion with the family.
6. Police may withdraw from proceedings as soon as the provisional post mortem result is confirmed.
   1. Police will ensure family has been provided with signposting to relevant support services.
   2. Police will liase with the family once instructed by the PF that the infant's belongings taken for testing can be returned.
      1. No items will be returned without prior discussion with the family.

Staff support

1. Due to the traumatic nature of these inquiries, police will provide peer debriefing and support for officers involved.