At the same time, deaths from drowning, road accidents and assaults are in long-term decline, according to figures in the NSW Child Death Review Team's 2013 annual report, tabled in Parliament on Thursday.

NSW Ombudsman and convener of the Child Death Review Team Bruce Barbour said that although the overall rate of child deaths from all causes was the second lowest since the team began in 1996 "there are still too many children dying in circumstances that are preventable".

Mr Barbour is particularly concerned about the rise in suicide and the persistent rate of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

The report found 19 children aged 17 and under committed suicide in 2013, more than doubling since its lowest point in 2006. It was the leading external cause of death for young people aged 10-14 years and the equal leading cause of death for those aged 15-17. Nine of the young people who took their lives were female, the highest number since 1999.

Headspace chief executive Chris Tanti described the data as alarming and called for suicide prevention services to work more closely with other agencies such as schools and health providers.

"The thing that strikes me is the lack of co-ordination between the services," he said. "Everyone is trying to do the right thing but it's not well co-ordinated."

Headspace, a youth mental health group, has launched a schools support program which takes services to students rather than leaving them to navigate the system on their own.

Suicide Prevention Australia chief executive Sue Murray said 30 organisations had already formed a national coalition for a more co-ordinated approach but agreed that services needed to be better targeted, particularly to young people from migrant backgrounds.

The report found that 85 per cent of the 567 child deaths registered in NSW in 2013 were due to natural causes.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome claimed 55 lives, compared with 50 in 2012.

Transport accidents were the leading cause of external death, accounting for 30 children, which represented the lowest rate for the past 15 years.

Drownings were also lower than the 15-year average, accounting for 13 deaths, mainly involving children under five in private swimming pools.

Two young people died from fatal assault, the lowest proportion in the history of the team's data collection.

The families of a third of the children who died from external causes were known to child protection services, including two children who were in foster care.

Kidsafe NSW executive officer Christine Erskine said the figures showed parents needed to be aware of household risks.

"We are still concerned about preventable drownings and driveway deaths," she said. "This is a reminder to parents to be constantly vigilant."

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