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A Place that is Safe and Feels Safe
MARAC (Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference
Tuesday 9 August 2011- What is MARAC?
- The aims of MARAC
- The referral process
- General information about MARAC and the risk assessment
- MARAC training
MARACs deal with the domestic violence victims identified as being at highest risk of serious harm.
The risk assessment process, MARAC procedures (including referral) and standards for operating MARAC meetings have been developed by Coordinated Action Against Domestic Abuse (CAADA)which is a national organisation supported by the Home Office.
Issues relating to children such as conflict over child contact, pregnancy and perception of harm to children are key indicators of risk in the CAADA risk assessment process. Thus a substantial number of victims who become MARAC cases have children (although many do not).
The Poole MARAC has been in operation since 2007. It meets monthly and is chaired by the Police. Agencies including children's and adults services, health, mental health, probation, local authority housing departments, drug and alcohol services, Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) and specialist domestic violence service providers such as refuges and outreach projects all attend.
The MARAC is victim focussed and information is shared on victims identified as being at highest risk of harm.
- Share information to increase the safety, health and well-being of victims and their children
- Determine whether the perpetrator poses a significant risk to any particular individual or the general community
- Construct and implement a risk management plan that provides professional support to all those at risk and that reduces the risk of harm
- Reduce repeat victimisation
- Improve agency accountability
- Improve support for staff involved in high risk domestic violence cases
The responsibility to take appropriate action rests with the individual agencies - the MARAC is the process through which information is shared. Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs) will represent the victim at the MARAC and ensure that action plans are carried out.
Any agency can refer a victim's case to the MARAC by following the procedure below:
- Complete the CAADA Risk Assesment (316kb PDF). 14 ticks or more meets the MARAC threshold and the case should be referred. Cases which do not make the 14 tick threshold but where, in the professional judgment of the person undertaking the assessment, the risk is still high should also be referred.
- Complete the MARAC referral form (19kb PDF)as fully as possible. If there are no children please state this clearly on the form. A Word version of the form is available from the Domestic Violence Strategic Coordinator.
- Send the MARAC referral form by secure email to the MARAC Co-ordinator(If you do not have secure email, please send an email to the MARAC Co-ordinator to arrange an alternative means of making your referral). To use secure email you will need to send the email from your own secure email address.
- You will receive an acknowledgement of your referral and be advised of the date when the case will be heard at the MARAC.
- To record your information about MARAC cases use the MARAC agency research form (9kb PDF). This form should not be sent to the MARAC Co-ordinator.
If on completion of the risk indicator checklist, the case does not meet the MARAC threshold consider other support you may need to give the victim and signpost to other specialist services available locally and nationally.
General information about MARAC and the risk assessment
CAADA is a national charity which aims to create a consistent, professional and effective response to high risk survivors of domestic violence. CAADA achieves this through the creation of a strong infrastructure for the domestic violence advocacy sector and other domestic violence professionals generally.
CAADA has produced a very good toolkit (1MB PDF)which contains more detailed information on the MARAC.
For more information please visit the CAADA website.
Half day MARAC awareness training courses are available for practitioners.
The course has been designed to give an overview of the MARAC process and to develop awareness of risk and how to assess it.
At the end of the course, participants will:
- Be able to explain the MARAC process
- Have learned about the CAADA risk assessment & how to undertake it
- Have learned about information sharing in the MARAC context
- Know how to refer high risk victims to the Poole MARAC
- Understand their role as part of the MARAC process
The course will be of particular relevance to those working directly with client groups likely to be affected by domestic violence and abuse including local police officers, social workers, education social workers, health practitioners (including GPs, dentists, health visitors, midwives, pharmacists), teachers, solicitors, housing officers, anyone working in the voluntary sector, those working with children and those working in drug and alcohol support agencies.
For more information about the courses email: Christopher Geertsma
By Helen MacBean (Borough of Poole - Strategy Directorate)
Permalink: http://www.poolepartnership.info/MARAC
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