Domestic Abuse Hub and the Role of the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC)

1. Purpose

The purpose of the DA Hub and the MARAC is to share information and establish a multi-agency action plan to support the victim and to make links with other public protection procedures, particularly safeguarding children, vulnerable adults and the management of offenders. MARAC ensures a co-ordinated multi-agency response when the completion of Appendix 1: Domestic Abuse, Stalking, Harassment & 'Honour' Based Violence tool (DASH Risk Assessment), has identified high risk victims of domestic abuse. The DASH Risk Assessment provides a consistent approach to all agencies in assessing risk. It is imperative given the link between domestic abuse and safeguarding that all agencies share information, in order to ensure a planned, measured response is made to reduce risks and repeat incidents.

The Police will inform partner agencies of the DA hub when they have responded to a reported incident in the previous 24 hours and it has been DASH Risk Assessed as medium/high, The attendees at the DA hub meeting include representatives from the Police, Children's Social Care, Health, Staying Safe, Family Intervention Team, and Early Intervention, Education, Youth Offending Team, Probation, Housing, Substance Misuse Service and Adult Services. This list is not exhaustive.

At the daily DA Hub meeting partner agencies will:

• Provide information from their own electronic systems;
• Agree the risk levels medium or high;
• Agree what information needs to be disclosed; and
• Decide on what services and response is required.

The Police representative will chair the meeting and are also be responsible for recording a summary of the discussion and producing an action plan, which will be disseminated to partner agencies on the same day as the meeting. Each partner agency is responsible for sharing information, ensuring actions are followed up and that information is recorded on their systems.

2. Children's Social Care: Roles and Responsibilities

On a child not known or open to Children's Social Care where No Further Action is to be taken, the referral will be sent to the Early Intervention DV Partnership Co-ordinator to record on CASS and, if recommended by the DA hub, they will send to the relevant Early Intervention Panel.

If further assessment is to be undertaken by Children's Social Care, the referral will be made to MAST. The Business Support will create a referral on CASS and the case will be allocated to a social worker for assessment. If the DA notification identifies a child has already suffered harm or is at risk of immediate harm the notification will be progressed to an immediate Strategy Meeting as per Child Protection Procedures (see West Yorkshire Consortium Safeguarding and Child Protection Procedures). The Strategy Meeting will decide if this is to be a single agency investigation by Children's Social Care or joint investigation and consideration for a joint visit with the appropriate partner agency

If the case is already open to Children's Social Care it will be considered within the DA Hub meeting. The referral will be sent to the Early Intervention DV Partnership Co-ordinator to record on CASS. The details and recommendations from the meeting will be sent via e-mail to the allocated worker, their Practice Manager and Team Manager.

3. Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC)

Any agency can refer a person to MARAC through the DA HUB which will then be considered at the daily meeting under the framework for MARAC.

If someone is experiencing domestic abuse, consideration should be given to undertaking Appendix 1: Domestic Abuse, Stalking, Harassment & 'Honour' Based Violence tool (DASH Risk Assessment).

If 14 or more 'yes' boxes on the risk assessment are ticked the case meets the current MARAC referral criteria. The DASH Risk Assessment and a completed MARAC referral form (see Appendix 2: Domestic Abuse DA Hub and MARAC Referral Form) should be sent to the MARAC Co-ordinator, at: cd.safeguardingdomesticabusehub@westyorkshire.pnn.police.uk.

Once received, a member of the Domestic Abuse Hub will contact the referring person/partner and arrange a convenient date for the case to be discussed. If the person submitting the referral is not able to attend, they are invited to discuss the case with their Hub representative so that they can present the case on their behalf. MARAC referred cases will be discussed as soon as possible - ideally within a few days of being received. Please note that consent should be sought where possible but if consent is not given for MARAC referrals information can be shared in the interests of public safety.

See: Information sharing advice for safeguarding practitioners (DfE, 2018).

All cases considered at MARAC are flagged on CASS for 12 months and any new incidents within 12 months starts the flag again.

Appendices

Appendix 1: Domestic Abuse, Stalking, Harassment & 'Honour' Based Violence tool (DASH Risk Assessment)

Appendix 2: Domestic Abuse DA Hub and MARAC Referral Form