Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is still a leading cause for infant mortality in the United Kingdom (UK) despite the significant reduction in cases since the 1990s. Currently, there are ongoing public health campaigns aimed at promoting safer sleep, as the majority of SIDS cases in the UK occur in unsafe sleep environments. There is little uniformity of practice nationally about which deaths should be classified as SIDS or “unascertained”, with very few deaths recognized as being due to accidental asphyxia. The investigation of sudden and unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) has changed considerably since the early 2000s. Joint agency investigation by police, healthcare, and social care is now standard, with local review of all child deaths mandatory.
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