Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARAC)
When someone discloses current domestic abuse to a frontline worker, they often will carry out a risk assessment known as a DASH (Domestic Abuse, Stalking And ‘Honour’- Based Abuse) risk checklist or RIC (Risk Indicator Checklist). Workers from Women’s Aid South Lanarkshire and East Renfrewshire will carry this out as part of safety planning.
There are 24 questions within the Scottish checklist that have been developed in line with extensive research of domestic abuse. The aim of the checklist is to provide a consistent and simple tool for practitioners who work with adult victims of current domestic abuse to identify those who are at high risk of harm and whose cases should be referred to a Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC).
What is MARAC?
MARAC is a local meeting where representatives from different agencies meet to discuss individuals at high risk of serious harm or murder due to domestic abuse. The meeting provides a safe environment for agencies to share relevant and proportionate information about current risks and suggest actions to increase safety by reducing these risks.
At the heart of the MARAC is the working assumption that no single agency or individual can see the complete picture of the life of a victim, but all may have insights that are crucial to their safety. Ensuring that the victim and their children are supported throughout and that their needs represented at the MARAC is crucial to managing risk, improving and maintaining safety, and reducing repeat victimisation.
Referral into MARAC
If we are worried about you being seriously harmed, we will tell you and we will work with you to reduce your risk. We know that you are the expert in keeping yourself safe and we will acknowledge everything that you have done and are doing to keep yourself safe.
During a MARAC
At MARAC, local police, health and children’s services, justice services, housing practitioners, and domestic abuse services, along with other specialists from the statutory and voluntary sectors, meet and share information that we have about your safety and the behaviour of the perpetrator. You do not attend the meeting but if you are referred by us you will be represented by our support worker, and we will ensure that we communicate your views and advocate for you. The primary focus of the MARAC is to safeguard you.
After a MARAC
After sharing all relevant information, we discuss options for increasing your safety and turn these into an action plan. We will feed back the actions that were agreed at the meeting as soon as we can. We will continue to provide support to you after the MARAC meeting. If risk continues, you may be referred to MARAC again so we can continue to safeguard you and target perpetrator behaviour.
Examples of actions that could be agreed at a MARAC include:
- Police: Arrest the perpetrator for a non-domestic abuse-related offence to give breathing space to victim; Proactive bail checks on perpetrator.
- Health: Offer a safe space for other agencies to contact the victim; Ask the GP to offer the victim, perpetrator or children referral into mental health services if appropriate.
- Children and Young People’s Services (CYPS): Give additional support to the family; making referrals to children and adolescent services.
- Housing: Assisting with finding alternative accommodation; supporting applications for housing benefit and homelessness; implementing safety devices on the home property.
- Education: Sharing information with appropriate staff to support children effectively; monitoring school performance and behavioural issues.
- Justice Services: Use information gained at MARAC in background reports for sentencing or when recommending licence conditions or community sentencing requirements.
- Addiction and Mental Health Support Services: Fast tracking access to specialist services and support.
- Domestic Abuse Specialist Services: Support the victim to attend meetings with other agencies; Work with partner agencies to engage clients who face barriers to accessing services; Offer support to children and young people.
Credit for the information on this page goes to Safelives.
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