Skip to content.

National case review repository

The National case review repository, launched in November 2013, is the most comprehensive collection of case reviews in the UK. It provides a single place for published case reviews to make it easier to access and share learning at a local, regional and national level.

The repository has over 2,000 case reviews from across the UK, and thematic analysis reports from all four nations, dating back to 1945.

Our information specialists write summaries and add keywords to each report added to our library catalogue to enable professionals to find case reviews on particular themes and issues.

You can access case review reports via our Library catalogue. Many are also accessible direct from the catalogue and we also hold physical reference copies of all case reviews deposited with the NSPCC Library.

We encourage safeguarding partners in England and their equivalents in the other nations to submit newly published case review reports for addition to the collection via information@nspcc.org.uk.

Search the national case review repository

Searching for Case Reviews in the Library Catalogue

The National case review repository can be searched and accessed via the NSPCC Library catalogue.

You can find case reviews in the following ways:

You can search reports further by: local safeguarding partnership; author; keyword; free text (of the abstract); or by year of publication. To do this via the Library catalogue:

  • Select the ‘Advanced search’ option
  • Select ‘All fields’
  • Enter your search term
  • Select ‘Case review’ as a media type.

You can also search specific fields, such as ‘Publisher’ for a local safeguarding partnership, or ‘Keywords’ for specific topics.

You can narrow your search further by selecting the plus icon next to the search fields and adding additional search terms.

Keywords you may find useful include:

  • Abuse and neglect keywords: child abuse; child neglect; child sexual abuse; physical abuse; family violence; child criminal exploitation; child sexual exploitation
  • Death or serious harm keywords: child deaths; infant deaths; injuries; head injuries; sleeping behaviour; suicide
  • Location keywords: England; Scotland; Wales; Northern Ireland.

Many – but not all - case reviews are available online, with PDFs available via the catalogue. Print reference copies of all case reviews are available in the NSPCC Library at Weston House, London.

Library staff can provide assistance searching the repository. For more information please contact: information@nspcc.org.uk.

Learning from case review briefings

Case reviews contain important lessons about how professionals can improve practice to better protect children.

Our information specialists produce and maintain a series of briefings which highlight learning gathered from serious case reviews. The briefings summarise key risk factors, and also include practice recommendations to help practitioners act upon the learning.

> View the collection of learning from case review briefings

> See our training course on learning from case reviews