Standard Operating Procedure 3 (SOP 3)

Multi Agency Risk Assessment Committee (MARAC)

Why we have a procedure?
The aim of the MARAC procedure is to offer targeted support to high risk victims of
domestic abuse identified by the SafeLives Dash risk checklist (www.safelives.org.uk).
The MARAC meeting will also determine whether a perpetrator is a significant risk to
any particular individual or general community. Information generated at the MARAC
meeting will be shared with Trust Health Practitioners involved with the child.

What overarching policy the procedure links to?

Safeguarding Children Policy

Which services of the trust does this apply to? Where is it in operation?

Group Inpatients Community Locations

Mental Health Services   all
Learning Disabilities Services   all
Children and Young People Services   all

Who does the procedure apply to?

This SOP applies to:
 Health Visitors (HV)
 Family Nurses (FN)
 Allied Health Practitioners including Paediatric Physiotherapists, Paediatric
Occupational Therapists and Speech and Language Therapists
 Community Children’s Nursing staff working for the Trust in Dudley
 Other Trust staff where risk is identified to the children’s carer/parent
 This SOP also extends to School Nurses (SN) working for Shropshire Community
Trust

When should the procedure be applied?

This procedure should be applied when the Trust Health Practitioner:
 Makes a referral into the MARAC meeting for either a high risk victim or a
Domestic Violence Disclosure is requested
 Receives a request for information from the Child’s Health Record via the MARAC
Notification Form Part A (see Appendix 1)
 Receives feedback after the MARAC meeting via the MARAC Form Part B with
recommendations for further action if necessary (see Appendix 2)

The entire document (Part A and B) will be filed in the Child Health Record

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How to carry out this procedure
Referral to MARAC by Trust Health Practitioners
 Any agency can request support from MARAC for a victim providing a SafeLives
risk checklist is completed and its criteria is met
 To make a MARAC referral:
- the Health Practitioner will complete the SafeLives Dash risk checklist
(www.safelives.org.uk) (see Appendix 3) with the victim and ensure that
the referral criteria has been met
- Complete the MARAC referral form (see Appendix 4)
- Follow the Trust MARAC referral pathway (see below)
 The referrer to the MARAC will be expected to attend the meeting and present the
case to the committee. The referrer will be informed of the date that they need to
attend the committee by the MARAC Coordinator

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 MARAC Referral Guidance Pathway for Dudley MARAC
(Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference)

Domestic Abuse Victim is identified

With the consent of the victim, sensitively complete a SafeLives Dash Risk Assessment
Checklist accessed at www.safelives.org.uk or Trust Intranet Safeguarding Adults or Children
page. Explain to the victim that the information will be shared with partner agencies

HIGH RISK MEDIUM/STANDARD RISK

(14 ticks and above) (13 ticks and below)

Complete the MARAC Referral Does professional judgement indicate

form; accessed at
www.safelives.org.uk or the
Trust Intranet Safeguarding
Adults or Children site, attach
the completed Risk Assessment
Checklist and refer to MARAC
that this case should be referred to
MARAC?
YES
For advice contact the Lead Nurse for
Domestic Abuse 01384 366210 or
Independent Domestic Violence
Advisors (IDVA’S) at The Cedar
Centre 01384 455411

During the
assessment process,
consider any
Submit the MARAC referral form and Risk Safeguarding risks to
Assessment Checklist to the Police Protection Unit a child or adult and
via secure email to: dy_safeguarding@west- act to safeguard as
midlands.pnn.police.uk per Safeguarding
Trust policies

Consider signposting and provide advice leaflets as appropriate. Suggest to the victim
that they can also self-refer to police or other specialist agencies. In addition; where
there are concerns about a victim’s partner, a person can also be signposted to the
Police Disclosure Scheme

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MARAC Meeting
 The meeting is chaired by the Police and a variety of agencies are invited to
attend including Health (Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Trust/Dudley Group of
Hospitals), Police, Probation, Housing, Substance Misuse Services and
representatives from the Domestic Abuse Response Team to advocate for
children
 Meetings occur fortnightly and aim to share information to increase the safety,
health and wellbeing of high risk victims and their children
 When a MARAC referral is made to the MARAC Coordinator an agenda is
compiled of cases to be discussed and is sent to the agencies that have signed
up to the MARAC confidentiality agreement that will be present at the MARAC
meeting
 Each agency will be expected to access their systems and search for any
information about the family/child that may suggest any relevant risks
 Each agency will have its own processes in place for ensuring that any MARAC
recommendations are carried out within the stated timeframe
 A risk management plan is jointly constructed and implemented to all those at risk
 The Trust Named Nurse for Domestic Abuse will attend MARAC to share and gain
any relevant information and to advocate for children known to the case where
risk is identified
 Regarding a Domestic Abuse Disclosure, those in the MARAC meeting will make
a decision whether information is shared with the person making the request
based on proportionality and a necessity to disclose

Trust Named Nurses for Safeguarding Adults attend MARAC meetings in

Wolverhampton and Sandwell representing Adult Mental Health Services; please refer
to Domestic Abuse, Stalking and Honour Based Violence – Adults Policy.

MARAC Meeting Actions

Following receipt of the MARAC Notification Form the HV/ FN/ SN will:
 Complete Part A by reviewing the Child’s Health Record for any relevant
information or identified risks and return it to the Safeguarding Team in
preparation for the MARAC meeting
 Receive feedback from the MARAC meeting and any outcomes that are agreed
will be documented on the MARAC Notification Form Part B and returned to the
health practitioner to action/follow up
 Ensure that the child’s voice is documented in the Child Health Record
 Share relevant information received from the MARAC meeting with other Trust
practitioners e.g. AHP’s that are involved with the family
 Allied Health Professionals/ Community Staff upon receipt of MARAC information
from HV/ FN/ SN will review any records they hold and liaise, seek support and
action to safeguard as required
 Practitioners should ensure that they consider the risk to themselves and seek
advice/ support from their line manager, team leaders and the safeguarding
children team as appropriate

Safeguarding Children Team

The Safeguarding Children Team will:
 Send MARAC notification forms part A and B to the HV/FN/SN teams as agreed
locally
 Forward all notifications to the victims GP if they reside in Dudley

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 Forward Out of Area (OOA) information to the relevant local Safeguarding
Children Team to disseminate to their local health practitioners as per their local
processes/ agreements

Follow up to the MARAC process

The following principles underpin Health Practitioners follow up to the MARAC process:
 Ensure the safety of the victim (and any dependent children they have) during
follow up contact
 Ensure privacy – the person is unlikely to engage with you if others are in earshot
 Show the person you are relaxed and ready to listen. If you appear rushed they
will not feel safe to disclose abuse, or support follow up action
 Be respectful and listen carefully to what you are being told, and be sure the
victim has understood what you have said
 Seek to empower victims, not to make decisions for them
 Remain non-judgmental – never imply the victim is to blame for the abuse
 Consider the use of an interpreter – do not use anyone familiar to the victim
 Respect confidentiality
 If further domestic abuse/violence is disclosed, validate what the person is saying
 Do not rush or pressure the victim into making any decisions regarding additional
support/signposting but explain the benefits to the family/child
 Do not take any action that could place you or colleagues at risk of violence
 Keep accurate records as per record keeping policies/processes
 Feedback to the Domestic Abuse Nurse if a MARAC action is not completed
 Refer to Dudley CSC if risk persists
 Ensure risk assessments and careplans are reviewed and evidence measures to
promote safety and wellbeing of service user

Appendices
Appendix 1 - MARAC Notification Form Part A
Appendix 2 - MARAC Notification Form Part B
Appendix 3 - SafeLives Dash Risk Checklist
Appendix 4 - MARAC Referral Form
Appendix 5 - MARAC Toolkit for HV, SN and MW’s

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 Appendix 1
CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
Report for Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC)

MARAC
MARAC Venue: Cedar Centre, Trinity Road, Dudley
Date/Item:
Name of Child DOB: NHS No: GP Details: HV Base/FNP or School:

Name of the Victim: DOB: GP Details:

Name of Offender: DOB:

PART A: HV, FNP & SN’s Health Information requested for MARAC.
Complete & return to the Safeguarding Children Team on day of receipt.
CHILDS NAME:
Yes No Brief details/health actions where appropriate
1. Select involvement history:
 Child In Need Plan (CIN)
 Child Protection Plan (CP)
 Looked After Child (LAC)
*Please be mindful that a SW is present
at the MARAC meeting with
CIN/CP/LAC information

2 Are the family receiving Early Help

(EH) or other support? e.g. from
family/friends

3. Are they involved with other

agencies? State if known e.g. AHP,
Children’s Centre, Substance misuse
service, Housing, etc.

4. Are there any known risk factors?

e.g. family stressors, behaviour,
developmental concerns, health
conditions?

5. Any relevant ED/Hospital

attendances?
if known, note engagement with
appts.

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6. State last contact with child/family and any other comments including the voice of the child:

Completed Date:
by:

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Appendix 2

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
Report for Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC)
MARAC
MARAC Venue: Cedar Centre, Trinity Road, Dudley
Date/Item:
HV Base/FNP or
Name of Child/ren: DOB: NHS No: GP Details:
School:

Name of the Victim: DOB: GP Details:

Name of Offender: DOB:

PART B: Brief feedback from the MARAC meeting:

Health Practitioner at MARAC

meeting:
cc Victims GP in Dudley For information only. If children are registered - copy to their
notes
Health Visitor (HV) Family Nurse A copy of the DART notification will be sent to the relevant
(FNP) Health Practitioners involved the family.
School Nurse (SN)
Out of Area Safeguarding Team Please forward onto your relevant Health Practitioner &
victim’s GP
Abbreviations:
Dudley CSC Dudley Children’s Social Care
DART Domestic Abuse Response Team meeting
DMBC Housing Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council
IDVA/CHADD Independent Domestic Violence Advisor/DV outreach support
CGL Change Growth Live – adult substance misuse service

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Where do I go for further advice or information?

 Immediate Team Leader or Manager

 Safeguarding Children Team
 Dudley Children’s Social Care single Point of Access (SPA)
 MARAC Coordinator
 Police 101
 MARAC toolkit for HV, SN and MW’s (see Appendix 5)
 Dudley – Domestic Violence and Abuse
 Wolverhampton – Protecting Children in Specific Circumstances
 Sandwell - Domestic Violence and Abuse
 Walsall - Domestic Violence and Abuse

Training
Staff may receive training in relation to this procedure, where it is identified in their
appraisal as part of the specific development needs for their role and responsibilities.
Please refer to the Trust’s Mandatory & Risk Management Training Needs Analysis for
further details on training requirements, target audiences and update frequencies

Monitoring / Review of this Procedure

In the event of planned change in the process(es) described within this document or an
incident involving the described process(es) within the review cycle, this SOP will be
reviewed and revised as necessary to maintain its accuracy and effectiveness.

Equality Impact Assessment

Please refer to overarching policy

Data Protection Act and Freedom of Information Act

Please refer to overarching policy

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 Standard Operating Procedure Details
Unique Identifier for this SOP is BCPFT-SAFE-SOP-09-3

State if SOP is New or Revised New

Policy Category Safeguarding

Executive Director
Executive Director of Nursing, AHPs and
whose portfolio this SOP comes
Governance
under
Policy Lead/Author
Dudley Named Nurse
Job titles only
Committee/Group Responsible for Children and Adult Safeguarding Steering
Approval of this SOP Group
Month/year consultation process
September 2016
completed
Month/year SOP was approved October 2016

Next review due October 2019

‘B’ can be disclosed to patients and the
Disclosure Status
public

Review and Amendment History - to be completed by Corporate Governance

Version Date Description of Change
Oct New SOP developed to support overarching Safeguarding
1.0
2016 Children Policy

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