By policy, coroners in Ontario investigate all paediatric deaths of children and youth between the ages of 0 to 18 that occur where a Society has been involved with the child, youth or family within 12 months of the death. Consequently, some paediatric deaths that would not ordinarily meet the criteria for a coroner’s investigation are investigated solely because of the involvement of a Society.  These deaths include natural deaths that under normal circumstances would not likely be investigated by a coroner. In 2016, 30 paediatric deaths fell into this category and in 2017, 20 paediatric deaths fell into this category. These 50 deaths have been excluded from some of the analyses undertaken in this report to allow for the comparison of deaths with Society involvement against the broader population of paediatric coroners’ investigations (which does not include natural deaths free of other concerns). It should also be noted that a Society was involved within 12 months prior to the deaths in all the paediatric deaths that have been excluded from the analyses for both 2016 and 2017.

Therefore, 375 (405 deaths - 30 deaths = 375 deaths) is the number used in some analyses of total paediatric deaths and 85 is the number used in some analyses of total paediatric deaths with Society involvement (115 deaths - 30 natural deaths = 85 deaths) for the year 2016. Similarly, 403 (423 deaths - 20 deaths = 403 deaths) is the number used in some analyses of total paediatric deaths and 102 is the number used in some analyses of total paediatric deaths with Society involvement (122 deaths - 20 natural deaths = 102 deaths) for the year 2017. This is consistent with the approach taken in previous years.