ths a statutory requirement. This information is required to help show more clearly where services continue to be provided after a child has died. The final case closure date should also be provided; this may be after the date of death if the case remains open for a short time after the death. The date of death should be verified from the death certificate and recorded using the format specified in date fields of the general notes section. If a child in need dies outside of the 2023 to 2024 collection period but the case is still open for investigation, the child should be included in the new collection period. The date of death and the final closure date should both be recorded. 30 If a child died or was stillborn, or there was a miscarriage or termination of the pregnancy before referral to children’s social care services, they should not be included in the children in need census; whether or not services were provided after the death. 31 3. Data module 2: child characteristics 3.1 Child ethnicity The children’s social care services method of determining a child’s ethnicity involves first asking the child about their ethnic identity. If they are not yet old enough to respond, ask their primary carer. Ethnicity is specified using the codes within the common basic dataset (CBDS). The ethnicity of unborn children should be coded under Information not yet obtained (code NOBT), even if it is thought to be known. This data item should not be left blank. Code ethnicity using the following table: Code Description White WBRI White British WIRI White Irish WIRT Traveller of Irish heritage WOTH Any other White background WROM Gypsy/Roma Mixed MWBC White and Black Caribbean MWBA White and Black African MWAS White and Asian MOTH Any other mixed background Asian or Asian British AI