Southend Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC)

Southend Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC)

Operating Protocol V2

In Collaboration with

Date: April 2017

Contents

Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………page 3
MARAC Governance across Southend ,Essex and Thurrock (SET)..page 4
Definitions of Domestic Abuse……………………………………………. …….page 6

4. Referral Criteria ………………………………………………………………………….page 7

5. The Southend MARAT Model ……………………………………………. ………page 8

Implementation
The Team
MARAT Representation
The Southend MARAT Process
Southend MARAC
‘So called’ Honour Based Abuse/Violence
Southend MARAT Safety Action Plan
MARAC Review Process
Closure to the MARAT

6The Southend MARAT Escalation Process.………………………………….page 20.

7. Team Training and Development…………………………………………………page 20

Information Governance…………………………………………………...... page 20
Quality Assurance Framework …………………………………………...... page 21
Review of the Protocol ………………………………………………………………page 23
Signatories
Appendices
Appendix 1: Governance Chart
Appendix 2: MARAT Process Flow Chart
Appendix 3: MARAT Forms
Appendix 4: MARAT Representatives Competency Framework
Appendix 5: MARAT ISA

Introduction

This document sets out the operating procedures for safeguarding and protecting the welfare of children and adults at high risk of being subjected to domestic abuse. This is undertaken by the locally based multi-agency risk assessment conference (MARAC). This document sets out the arrangements through which our partnership assesses, collaborates, challenges and provides an enhanced, effective service to reduce the risks of domestic abuse to children and adults and to improve outcomes for children, adults, parents/families and perpetrators/high risk individuals in Southend.

The MARAC is a regular meeting to discuss how to help victims at high risk of murder or serious harm. A domestic abuse specialist (IDVA), police, children’s social services, health and other relevant agencies all share information about the victim, the family and perpetrator, to enable them to devise an action plan to reduce risk for each victim.

The MARAC process does not change the expectations of all agencies in relation to safeguarding children and adults. These are set out within the Southend, Essex and Thurrock (SET) procedures for children and the SET procedures for adults. They apply to the statutory, voluntary, community and faith sectors. This MARAC Operating Protocol is designed to enhance existing arrangements rather than replace them.

When a high risk domestic incident has been identified, using a DASH risk assessment, each agency will be expected to continue to follow their safeguarding procedures and take necessary action on cases in advance of a decision from the MARAC, to ensure there is no delay in offering interventions to protect and support the children and adults involved, for example, children’s social care will undertake section 17 or section 47 enquiries if required in response to referral information received.

Practitioners will research and collate relevant information following a referral into MARAC and this will be discussed within the MARAC where a multi-agency action plan will be agreed to mitigate the risk.

2. MARAC Governance across Southend, Essex and Thurrock (SET)

The Southend, Essex and Thurrock Domestic Abuse Board (SETDAB)

The SETDAB is a partnership comprising key stakeholder who can fulfil the following functions:

Provide strategic leadership to address domestic abuse in Essex, including Southend and Thurrock.
Act as sponsors group for Whole Essex Community Budgets domestic abuse programme.
Understand the impact of domestic abuse on the people of Southend, Thurrock and Essex.
Understand the services currently provided to tackle domestic abuse and their impact.
Seek new ways of working together.
Cement good practice within our own and partner organisations.
Hold each other to account for delivery of the domestic abuse strategy and against the agreed performance dashboard.

One subgroup of the SETDAB is the SET MARAT (Multi Agency Risk Assessment Team) Steering Group. The Steering Group is responsible for overseeing the development, delivery and performance of MARAC arrangements and to ensure that there is a joint approach to the MARAC arrangements across the SET area.

All three areas are responsible for the delivery of their local MARAC processes however the objectives of MARAC are shared across the SET area.

The objectives of MARAC are:

To work collaboratively using a multi-agency risk assessment process to improve risk assessment and safety planning, intervention and review for adults and children at high level risk of significant harm or death as a result of domestic abuse.
To use agency information to inform risk to determine if an adequate safeguarding plan is in place with the victim and children.
To ensure any on-going risk posed by perpetrators is addressed within safety planning for the victim and children.
To ensure high risk domestic abuse incidents are discussed at a MARAC within 14 working days of receipt of the referral.
To ensure MARAC meetings are focussed and purposeful to improve quality of information and risk management.
To identify high risk perpetrators at an early stage to help prevent future high risk incidents taking place.

Success of the MARAC arrangements is measured through:

Timeliness of multi-agency information sharing
Access to pertinent & appropriate information, guidance and specialist support (victims, their children and perpetrators)
Impact of engagement with support services (in reducing risk and improving safety)
Number & percentage of repeat referrals into MARAC.

These measures will contribute to inform the delivery of the Southend, Essex and Thurrock Joint Commissioning Strategy for Domestic Abuse 2015-2020, Outcome 2: Victims (Adults and Children) and those at risk of experiencing domestic abuse feel and are safe.

MARAT Governance across Southend

Within the first year, the MARAT will be overseen by the Southend MARAT Strategic Project Board (SPB) and the Southend MARAT Operational Project Board (OPB). The SPB will be responsible for the quality and governance framework and ensuring necessary permissions/agreements are secured. The OPB will monitor the overall performance of the MARAT, ensure effective partnerships are maintained, address operational issues and report to the Project SPB. In the future, the two Boards will merge into a Southend MARAT Steering Group.

Membership of the SPB:

Corporate Director of People Services - chair

Head of Children’s Services (Southend Borough Council, Department for People) and chair of OPB

Police

Head of Adult Services (Southend Borough Council, Department for People)

CCG

Public Health

Health provider

NPS

CRC

JMOG representatives from Health and Southend Borough Council, Department for People

Membership of OPB:

Lead for information sharing/information governance

Lead for communications

HR, buildings and finance reps

Lead for operating protocols/procedures

Lead for communications

Representation from all partners

The Southend MARAT will report into, and be held to account by, the SPB and OPB (Southend MARAT steering group) and will report information to the Southend Domestic Abuse Strategic Group, the Health and Wellbeing Board and the Community Safety Partnership Board.

The Southend MARAT steering group will also report information into the Greater Essex MARAT steering group and the Southend, Essex and Thurrock Domestic Abuse Board (SETDAB).

The required data will be provided to SafeLives Group (a National requirement) on a quarterly basis.

The Southend MARAT will provide reports as required to the Children and Adult Safeguarding Boards and be held to account by them in relation to safeguarding practice within the MARAT process.

The Southend MARAT process will be reviewed by the SPB 3 months post implementation and there will be a rolling programme of quality assurance in place following the initial review. The governance structure for the Southend MARAT will be reviewed annually.

Each agency is responsible for establishing an accountability structure for MARAT within their agency to ensure the Southend MARAT Operating Protocol is followed.

3. Definitions of Domestic Abuse

Domestic Abuse

The UK Government’s definition of domestic violence/abuse is “any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are, or have been, intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. The abuse can encompass, but is not limited to, psychological, physical, sexual, financial, and emotional.”

This definition, which is not a legal definition, includes:

• Female genital mutilation (FGM) - procedures that intentionally alter or cause injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

• So called ‘honour’ based violence - collection of practices, which are used to control behaviour within families or other social groups to protect perceived cultural and religious beliefs and/or honour.

• Forced marriage -is a marriage conducted without the valid consent of one or both parties and where duress is a factor.

High Risk Domestic Abuse

The MARAC process is focussed on victims and their children who are identified as at high risk of serious harm or death due to domestic abuse. Southend, Essex and Thurrock have adopted the high risk threshold that is supported by the use of the standardised risk identification checklist ‘Domestic Abuse, Stalking and Harassment and Honour Based Violence (DASH, 2009) Risk Identification and Assessment and Management Model.

The risk categorisation given below is based on the Offender Assessment System developed by the Prison and Probation Services definitions of what constitutes standard, medium and high risk. This provides a referral framework for all agencies, which is consistent with a clear evidence base but requires the use of professional judgement to categorise the risk level.

The risk levels are as follows:

• Standard Risk: Current evidence does not indicate likelihood of causing serious harm

• Medium Risk: There are identifiable indicators of risk of serious harm. The offender has the potential to cause serious harm but is unlikely to do so unless there is a change in circumstances, for example, failure to take medication, loss of accommodation, relationship breakdown, and drug or alcohol misuse

• High Risk: There are identifiable indicators of risk of serious harm. The potential event could happen at any time and the impact would be serious.

Risk of serious harm (Home Office, 2002 and OASYs, 2006): ‘A risk which is life threatening and/or traumatic, and from which recovery, whether physical or psychological, can be expected to be difficult or impossible’.

4. Referral criteria to Southend MARAT

The criteria for referral to MARAT are as follows:

‘Visible High Risk’: this is based on the completion of a DASH risk identification checklist or another professional risk assessment tool and identification of a high risk incident.
Professional judgement: if a professional considers that a victim is at high risk of serious harm or death despite this not being identified through the DASH risk assessment they should refer the case to MARAT, following a discussion with the domestic abuse specialist within the referring organisation. There will be occasions where the particular context of a case gives rise to serious concerns even if the victim has been unable to disclose the information that might highlight their risk more clearly. This could reflect extreme levels of fear, cultural barriers to disclosure, immigration issues or language barriers particularly in cases of ‘honour’-based violence. This judgement would be based on the professional’s experience and/or the victim’s perception of their risk even if they do not meet criteria 1 above.
Repeat cases of domestic abuse following a previous high risk domestic abuse incident reported in the last 12 months, which will be assessed on a case by case basis
People identified on the acute victim cohort.

5. The Southend MARAT Model

The Team

The composition of the MARAT includes:

1 fte Team Manager (HCPC registered social worker or equivalent professional grade). Jointly funded by SBC, Police and CCG
2 fte Administrators
1 fte Children’s social worker
0.7 fte Adult’s social worker
2 fte Police Officers
1 fte Domestic Abuse Health Practitioner
0.5 fte Early Help Officer
0.5 fte IDVA
0.5 fte Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC) officer

Members of the MARAT will be line managed and supervised by their employer but it is to be expected that regular liaison will take place with the MARAT manager in order to support communication within the matrix management structure.

Operational management of MARAT will sit within Southend Borough Council Children’s Services who will also employ and manage the administrators.

The team will be based in Southend Police Station from February 2017.

MARAT /MARAC Representation

Each agency is responsible for ensuring that their representation within the MARAT and/or MARACs in Southend is fit for purpose. However, this does not have to be through the provision of one representative who can undertake all aspects of the role. Originally multi agency MARAC representatives were expected to be middle managers or equivalent, so that they are able to gather and present information from colleagues and also commit to specific actions, with the appropriate resources, without having to seek further authorisation. Southend MARAT are not specifying the level the representatives are required to be at, as each partner agency will be held accountable for ensuring their arrangements for representation are adequate. The expectation is that each agency considers the tasks required of the representatives, and the competency framework (see appendix 4), when identifying their MARAT/MARAC representative arrangements.

Where a representative cannot carry out all aspects of the role, as they are not at the required level within their agency to undertake this and be held accountable, the agency must specify the arrangements in place to address any gaps. This could be via different representatives undertaking different aspects of the role or a more senior member of staff being identified who will hold accountability for decision making and information sharing for their agency and consult regularly with their member of staff to ensure they have the information required for all aspects of the MARAT process.

There are 3 key tasks to be undertaken within MARAT and/or MARAC representation. These are:

Information research and information sharing

Presenting information and participating in risk identification and action planning

Volunteering actions and exception reporting on actions not completed

MARAT representation requires:

Business continuity arrangements for each agency
Research of information held on the agency’s system in relation to each person identified in the high risk incident
Decision making as to what information is relevant and proportionate to share in the daily multi-agency team case discussions
Contribution to decision making within team discussions
Record keeping tasks on behalf of the agency
Immediate action planning including volunteering actions that can be completed by their agency

MARAC representation requires:

Business continuity arrangements for each agency
Weekly representation at MARAC meetings for standing members and attendance by invite for other partner agencies
Presentation of relevant and proportionate case information
Ability to discuss levels of risk, risk management and risk reduction strategies within a live and dynamic case discussion, in relation to cases known to the agency and also cases not known
Volunteering of actions/accepting actions on behalf of the agency, including agreeing the timeframe for completion of actions
Ensuring actions agreed for the agency are completed or making the MARAT aware if actions have not been completed, including the reasons behind this (exception reporting)
Record keeping tasks on behalf of the agency

All partner agencies are required to provide their MARAT/MARAC representatives with appropriate support, given they will be continuously working with high risk incidents that require risk management and clear decision making. This includes the provision of regular supervision (minimum frequency of 6 weekly) that includes reflection on the impact of the work.

Any concerns about the performance of an individual will be raised with their line manager via the MARAT manager.

Any concerns about the performance of the MARAT manager will be raised with their line manager.

Any concerns about the performance of an agency will be raised via the MARAT Governance Boards.

The Southend MARAT Process (see flow chart in appendix 2)

Agencies will continue to receive high risk domestic abuse referrals and notifications, as they do currently. The need for any initial or emergency response will be provided by each agency in line with the SET procedures and each agency’s policies and procedures. The MARAT process does not change the individual agency’s responsibility to respond appropriately to risk.

Standard and medium risk assessed domestic abuse incidents will not be referred into the Southend MARAT. The established referral procedures and responses within Southend, for standard and medium risk cases, will continue to operate.

There are two routes into the MARAT:

The Police will refer all high risk domestic abuse incidents, identified via the use of the ACPO DASH, into the Southend MARAT. The MARAT will check to see if individuals are known on Care First and send alerts to key partner agencies to ensure they are aware of the incident (see practice procedures in the appendices). MARAT practitioners will ensure their agency are aware of the referral and begin the information research process. All agencieswill provide an initial response to the child/adult, if they meet the agency’s thresholds or criteria for a service, in line with local policies and procedures.
Other agencies can refer into the MARAT directly once they have completed a DASH risk assessment or other professional risk assessment and identified high risk domestic abuse. The referring agency should contact the MARAT directly to make a referral and within 1 working day of the high risk being identified.

External Referrals