If you are caring for a family affected by the sudden and unexpected death of a child, or are looking for more information on SUDC, we hope our resources will be helpful.
- Please encourage the family to register with us or you can proactively refer a family below and we will reach out with helpful information and connect them with support services. SUDC UK supports families at any stage following sudden child loss with no immediately apparent cause and they do not need to wait for the post mortem report or the investigation to conclude.
- This article in paediatrics and child health summarises key considerations for an SUDC-bereaved family in the U.K.
- This open access 2025 BMJ Paediatrics qualitative study shares evidence on the “Needs and experiences of families after a sudden unexplained death in childhood”
- Support with further investigations is important for SUDC cases. We recommend that the tissues taken at post mortem are retained, families are referred for medical screening (for example, via an Inherited Cardiac Conditions Clinic) and that a referral is made for whole genome sequencing and SUDC analysis (R441 in the National Test Directory). Please visit our family screening page for more information.
UK Professional Resources
Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) is the sudden and unexpected death of a child, between 1 and 18 years of age, which remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation is conducted. This must include; examination of the death scene, performance of a complete post-mortem, and a review of the child and family’s medical history (Medically defined by Krous et al in 2005).
- Watch a 30-min recorded webinar on SUDC recorded on National SUDC Day 2025
- Download or order free public and family information leaflets
- Please use the NCMD video on this page which features our CEO, to support a family with consent for retention of post mortem samples.
- Family screening and medical care after unexplained death – information for professionals and families
- NCMD video on R441 genetic testing after SUDC
- NCMD video on the National Cardiac Pathway, JAR and R441
- Francis Crick event on Justice by Genomics SUDC UK invitation to present on “Hope for the Future: NHS-funded genetic testing”.
- 6-minute video on the family experience and SUDC UK
- 2025 BMJ Paediatrics qualitative study shares evidence on the “Needs and experiences of families after a sudden unexplained death in childhood”
- SUDIC Professional Guidelines
- Video on police response, produced by Essex police.
- SUDC UK Video for Coroner’s Officers
- Toolkit for Key Workers
- For paediatricians, police and key workers, this article in paediatrics and child health summarises key considerations for an SUDC-bereaved family in the U.K.
- SUDC UK’s guide for schools. Available to download here, or to order a copy of the booklet, email info@sudc.org.uk
- Family information on the child death process, tissue retention and terminology used in these cases. The NCMD/NHS ‘When a Child Dies’ booklet is linked here & sent to all our registered families in hard copy.
- Free training – Contact us to request educational meeting attendance or training at no cost: Nikki Speed PhD is our CEO, co-founder, a CDOP member and a bereaved mother herself. She an experienced public speaker and has presented at many meetings including regional study days, national and international conferences. Meetings are supported by SUDC ambassadors where appropriate.
“Unexpected death of a child of any age is perhaps the greatest tragedy any family can experience. I give my strongest possible support to the work of SUDC UK – supporting bereaved families and facilitating research aimed at understanding and preventing unexpected deaths of children. I am convinced that with the right research, we will soon be able to prevent many such deaths.”
Professor Peter Fleming CBE. Emeritus Professor of Infant Health & Developmental Physiology at Bristol University.
RESEARCH & STATISTICS
SUDC UK is a medical research charity. To learn more, please visit the area of our website dedicated to SUDC Research.
SUDC UK supports research in 3 ways:
- Awards medical research grants to fund excellent research. This is a core part of our mission and where we spend most of our funds.
- Leads and collaborates to drive engagement in SUDC research, optimise data collection and influence policy that impacts research.
- Family referrals to research projects to support individuals, improve care for bereaved families and prevent future sudden child deaths
Discover the government recommendations and footage from the historic Parliamentary Debate on SUDC in 2023.
Read more about SUDC Facts and Statistics and FAQs.
This video featuring affected families explains why SUDC research is so important. This cause desperately needs more acedemic attention so please consider how you, or a colleague, could support progress for SUDC research.
HOW SUDC UK WORKS WITH PROFESSIONALS
SUDC UK collaborates with those who support SUDC families or have an interest in sudden unexplained death, as discussed at the 2024 launch of National SUDC Awareness Day in the House of Commons.
We understand that working on these cases can be traumatic and difficult for professionals. Thank you for all you do and if you would like support, please visit MIND’s Blue Light Support or the BMA Well Being Support Services.
Collaborating to improve policy
SUDC UK works with the following national bodies:
- The Department of Health and Social Care and the NHS.
- Founding member of the All-Party Parlimentary Group for Bereavement and National Grief Awareness Week.
- Member of the Child Bereavement Network and National Bereavement Alliance.
- Parent member of the Association of Child Death Review Professionals Exec Committee.
- Working group member of the National Child Mortality Database (NCMD) 2022 SUDIC Thematic Review and member of their Public Engagement Network. Former memebr of the UK SUDIC Registry Steering Committee, led by Peter Fleming CBE.
- Member of ISPID (The International Society for the Study and Prevention of Perinatal and Infant Death) and Nikki Speed, our CEO, co-chairs their international working group on SUDC.
- Co-investigator in QUINTET, an NIHR study on support for families.
- Member of the UK Baby Loss Alliance.
- Member of select local Child Death Overview Panels
- Member of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition
We aim for all collaborations to support tangible progress or resources. For example, this video produced in collaboration with NCMD, supports GPs caring for affected famlies.
SUDC UK is supported by our patron Jenni Thomas OBE (founder of Child Bereavement UK) and our expert advisory board
Together, we hope to raise awareness and optimise UK processes, services and research. Please contact us if you’d like to collaborate on a project.
“Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood was never mentioned during my training; not even in Paediatrics. Tragically, the first time I heard of it was when my gorgeous son Arthur died. Medical awareness has to increase; this has to change.”
Katie, Arthur’s Mum, GP and SUDC UK Volunteer.
18th March is National SUDC Day
Please join us in supporting #SUDCAwareness. March is global SUDC Awareness month and the 18th March every year is National SUDC Awareness Day. Please follow SUDC UK on social media for updates and subscribe to our professional newsletter, thank you.
