The NCMD collects and analyses information from Child Death Overview Panels on all child deaths in England to identify where action could prevent future tragedies.
In the 12 months to 31 March 2025, 3,492 children aged 0–17 years died in England – a small decrease of 2% on the previous year. Infant deaths (children under 1 year old) accounted for 61% of all child deaths, with a rate of 3.8 per 1,000 live births.
Despite the overall decline, inequalities remain a defining feature of the findings. Children from Black (58.1 per 100,000) and Asian (52.2 per 100,000) ethnic backgrounds continued to have death rates more than double those who were from a white (22.8 per 100,000) ethnic background. The death rate for children living in the most deprived areas of England (42.0 per 100,000) was more than twice that of those in the least deprived (17.4 per 100,000). Rates also varied widely by region, ranging from 21.9 to 39.1 per 100,000 across the country.
For neonatal deaths (deaths of babies under 28 days) the rate was 2.6 per 1,000 live births at any gestation and 1.5 per 1,000 live births for babies born at 24 weeks gestation or over. This remains higher than the government's National Maternity Safety Ambition which was to halve the rate of neonatal deaths by 2025 to achieve a rate of 1 per 1,000 live births.
The report found that nearly half (48%) of all child deaths reviewed in 2024 to 2025 had modifiable contributory factors, these are issues that, if addressed through local or national action, could help prevent future deaths. Common modifiable factors included aspects of maternal health, smoking or vaping exposure, delays in accessing or receiving care, and gaps in service provision or inter-agency communication.
Professor Karen Luyt, Programme Director for the National Child Mortality Database, Professor of Neonatal Medicine at the University of Bristol and Healthier Childhoods lead at NIHR ARC West, said: “Every child’s death is a profound loss. These latest data show some progress, but they also highlight persistent inequalities that demand urgent attention.
“By learning from every child death, we can identify where systems, services and support need to be improved to protect children’s lives.”
National Child Mortality Database (NCMD) annual data report
‘Child death review data release: year ending 31 March 2025’ by the NCMD team