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Barnardo’s Registered Charity Nos 216250 and SC037605Barnardo’s Registered Charity Nos 216250 and SC037605
Multi-Agency Risk Identification Matrix ( DVRIM) –identifying risks to children
and young people from domestic violence
Maddie Bell and Vivienne Springer
maddie.bell@barnardos.org.uk
vivienne.springer@barnardos.org.uk
Barnardo's Domestic Violence Risk Barnardo's Domestic Violence Risk Barnardo's Domestic Violence Risk Barnardo's Domestic Violence Risk Assessment Model (DVRAM) has 4 Assessment Model (DVRAM) has 4 Assessment Model (DVRAM) has 4 Assessment Model (DVRAM) has 4 Tools:Tools:Tools:Tools:
1. Multi-agency risk identification matrix (DVRIM)
2. Domestic Violence Initial assessment
3. Domestic Violence Core assessment for social care staff
4. Innovative safety planning with children young people and their mothers using ‘talking pictures’.
The Matrix ( DVRIM)BACKGROUND:
� The matrix is designed to identify
risks to children/young people
from domestic violence. It also
identifies risk level to mothers
� Implemented with Social Care
Trusts in Northern Ireland from
2003.It is now a key component
within London Safeguarding
procedure ‘ Safeguarding Children Safeguarding Children Safeguarding Children Safeguarding Children
Abused through Domestic Abused through Domestic Abused through Domestic Abused through Domestic
ViolenceViolenceViolenceViolence’’’’....
� One third of London Borough’s
LCSB’s have implemented matrix
and procedures
� It is a combined adult-child risk
identification tool
DVRIM : Objectives
To assist multi-agency staff
and social work staff to:
� Identify risks to children
from domestic violence
� Make decisions of
whether a case presents
as in need of a
safeguardingsafeguardingsafeguardingsafeguarding response or
family supportfamily supportfamily supportfamily support
� To help staff to make
appropriate
interventions for
children, non-abusing
parent and perpetrators
Risk Matrix is an effective multi-agency safeguarding tool :
� It joins up the adult victim domestic violence risk assessment ( DASH-MARAC) process to child-focussed risk assessment
� It enhances the assessment process within CAF and supports Every Child Matters by using CAF as a first-line ‘needs assessment’ for children who experience domestic violence and who may require a section 17 or 47 social care assessment
� It ensures that CAF assessments –are linked to Safeguarding procedures using Domestic Violence Risk Identification Matrix (DVRIM) to help determine this risk level to child and determine intervention
� It offers holistic support to families and maintains the focus of domestic violence as a main concern without marginalising any other significant concern
Identifying Children in Need using CAF–Domestic Violence impacts on at least 80 % of assessment areas.
Child in Need
Safeguarding
and
Promoting Their
WelfareChild’s Developmental Needs
Parenting C
apacity
Family & Environmental FactorsCommunity
Reso
urces
Fam
ily’s Social
Integ
ration
Income
Employm
ent
Housing
Wider Fam
ily
Fam
ily Histo
ry &
Function
ingBasic care
Ensuring Safety
Emotional W
armth
Stimulation
Guidance &
Boundaries
Stability
Health
Education
Emotional &
Behavioural needs
Identity
Family &
Social
RelationshipsSocial
Presentation Self CareSkills
Safeguarding/risk assessment Interlinking Risk Factors � What is severity, pattern, & frequently of the DV? Consider duration of DV incidents.
� Is there parental mental health issues? Prognosis?
� Is there substance misuse? � Is there poor parenting capacity? � Adult learning difficulties? � Treatability? Prognosis? of abuser? � Capacity to meet own needs victim/abuser?
� Capacity to meet child’s needs? � Level of couple’s parenting abilities and allocation of roles and responsibilities?
� Assess the ‘parenting style’ of abusive men. Consider assessing the parenting role of ‘shadowy men’
� Are there BMER Issues?
Child in
Need
Domestic Violence: Safeguarding : Interlinking Risk
Factors that impact on Parenting Capacity
Assessment of both Carer’s: mother & abusive father/
‘Shadowy men’
Multi-Agency Domestic Violence Risk Identification Matrix (DVRIM):
� It is a multi-agency risk identification safeguarding tool which assesses the level of risk to a child/young person who is experiencing domestic violence in their family using a four levels threshold scales
� It also assesses the level of risk to the mother- incorporating adult focussed risk factors DASH - MARAC by identifying the nature and level of the perpetrator's violence and abuse
� It indicates the level of intervention required to support and safeguard children and in doing so also can be used to protect mother
� It helps to identify what help and support is needed at an early intervention stage, it coordinates an effective respond to disclosure for children - CAF or Social Care referral-section 17 or section 47-child protection investigation
� It begins to examine the impact of the domestic violence on the child and mother
What does DVRIM do?
� It ensures ‘the visibility’ of all children in the family-it does not miss safeguarding children whose mothers are not deemed ‘high risk’ in the DASH-MARAC risk assessment
� It improves the protection and interventions for both children and their mothers by addressing the nature of the domestic violence,the risks, the vulnerabilities and protective factors present for the child in the situation
� It promotes the Sharing of information- providing a ‘common language’-where multi-agency staff can ‘identify’ the level of risk that determines a safeguarding response for the child and it considers the safety and well-being of children and mother
What does DVRIM do?
� It allows professionals to own their professional autonomy to make objective judgements;
� It challenging ‘fixed thinking’ about the family;
� It encourages and supports multi-agency working, provides a ‘common language’/’common approach’ including health professionals, housing, A&E, police, support agencies;
� It provides a context for the continual development of our skills, commitment and tenacity for working with men
� It promotes eeffective communication with recording;
� It is a tool that permits actual reflective supervision for the individual, team and multi-agency staff
Guidance on how to use DVRIM
London SCB’s new
procedures ‘
Safeguarding
Children Abused
through Domestic
Violence’
Section 9 ( pages
16 to 22)
Multi-Agency Risk Identification Threshold Scales
� Threshold 1- Risk as moderate: Children and families
with additional needs – Completion of a CAF – single
practitioner offering targeted support
� Threshold 2 – Risk as Moderate to serious: child/ren
and families with additional needs – Completion of a
CAF – Lead Practitioner – integrated support.
� Threshold 3 – Serious – Child/ren and family in need –
Section 17 – Initial assessment and family support
� Threshold 4 – Severe – Child/ren in need of
safeguarding: Section 47 enquiry – Core assessment
FACTOR CLASSIFICATION USED IN THE SCALES
� Factors are grouped into three categories – in scales
3 and 4 there are limited protective factors as the
children may be/are at increased risk of suffering
significant harm
� Evidence of domestic abuse
� Risk Factors/Potential vulnerabilities
� Protective factors
Safeguarding Procedures for Multi-Agency Risk Identification Matrix (DVRIM):
� Each threshold scale has categories to assist the professional to think through what the information they have is about
� Evidence of domestic violence-this is the most significant determinate of the scales – attention to severity, frequency, pattern and duration of domestic violence incident
� Characteristics of the child or situation which are additional risk factors/potential vulnerabilities: these are factors that may increase the risk to children/BMER vulnerability and risk factors referred to in scales 2, 3, 4
� Characteristics of the child or situation which are protective factors. Professionals should keep in mind that protective factors may help to mitigate risk factors and potential vulnerabilities
� The matrix also identifies the risks to mothers and enhances the use of
CAADA-DASH-MARAC and MAPPA ( new public safety arrangements) processes
Children who Children who Children who Children who
summon help are at summon help are at summon help are at summon help are at
heighten risk of being heighten risk of being heighten risk of being heighten risk of being
‘‘‘‘punishedpunishedpunishedpunished’’’’ by abusive by abusive by abusive by abusive
father/stepfather/stepfather/stepfather/step----father, father, father, father,
mothermothermothermother’’’’s partner,s partner,s partner,s partner,
boyfriend, orboyfriend, orboyfriend, orboyfriend, or
‘‘‘‘shadowy menshadowy menshadowy menshadowy men’’’’: need : need : need : need
referred into social referred into social referred into social referred into social
care for assessment care for assessment care for assessment care for assessment
Why ‘Age of Child’ in Matrix is a risk Indicator?
Factors that increase vulnerability/risk and appropriate interventions
� The younger the child(ren) the higher the risk to their safety. Any child
aged under 7 or child with special needs in the family can raise the
threshold to scale 3/4 as child(ren) may be potentially at risk of significant
harm and referral into Social Care – for section 17 or section 47 –
WHY?
� Young children have no or extremely limited self-protection strategies.
� Older children can develop short-term coping strategies that may keep them safe in
the ‘short term’ but all children suffer from ‘potential or actual’ emotional abuse.
� All children who experience DV in their families are exposed to hostile/tense family
environments, AND they can directly witness, intervene or be directly physically
abused or sexually abused.
� Children who ‘summons help’ are at increased risk for being ‘punished’ by abuser
for ‘calling in’ professional help.
� Social Care need to assess the risk of child suffering an adverse reaction from
abuser and check that mother supports child’s disclosure/help seeking
� Abuser's use of avoidance/resistance to engage in services-increases risks to children.
� Abuser and /or victim's engagement with social care has an element of 'disguised compliance' e.g. sporadic, passive or desultory compliance, superficial cooperation acceptance of concerns but not engaging in work to effect change/selective engagement,
� Use of distractive behaviours to disrupt professional interventions, adult deceitfulness relating to current family plans/circumstances, deliberate deception.
� Frequent moves by family contributes to difficulties in professional intervention/child/ren ‘off the radar’
Serious Case Review 2003-05 & 2005-07- Risk
factors that combine to create “Agency
Assessment Paralysis”
Serious Case Review 2003-05 & 2005-07- Risk factors that combine to create “Agency Assessment Paralysis
� Abuser's and/or victim's misuse of complaint's procedures to disrupt professional interventions- increases risks for children
� Abuser/victim may demand change of worker
� Abuser's use of threatening aggressive behaviour/pattern of hostility towards supportive professionals intimidates staff -staff cannot effectively challenge concerns and work constructively with family
� No unified professional intervention plan exists- increases risk for children
� Professional collusion or conflict over problem definition-increases risks for children professional is overwhelmed and/or lack of worker’s self confidence makes it difficult to challenge the opinions of other multi-agency professionals
Evidence which supports the MATRIX
Victim Focussed Risk Factors;
� Guidance on Investigating Domestic Violence 2005 – produced on behalf of the Association of Chief Police Officers by the National Centre for Police Excellence
� MPS – Metropolitan Police Service Risk Assessment Model for Domestic Violence
These factors are based on research and analysis conducted by the Understanding and Responding to Hate Crime Team, 2001 and on SARA (Spousal Assault Risk Assessment) developed by R.Kropp
� CAADA-DASH-MARAC
Child Focussed Risk Factors
� Evidence based practice – NI and London ( Barnet)-application of risk assessment threshold scales to social work cases ( 300 +)
� Serious Case Review Research UK June 2007 & 2009-M. Brandon & al
� M. Calder. Consultancy on domestic violence risk factors within ethnic minority groups
� C. Bell. Towards an empirical basis for Domestic Violence Risk Assessment. In Assessment in Kinship Care, by Talbot, C & Calder, M (2006)
Children’s Safety Planning Tool
Children need safety
planning : major gap in
service provision
Children’s Safety Talking Pictures
DVRAM Initial Assessment Tool for social care undertaking ‘child in need’ and ‘child protection' assessments at point of referral
Barnardo’s DVRAM Initial domestic violence assessment
1. Assess the nature of the domestic violence with
guidance triggers:
2. Assess the risks to the child and young person
with guidance triggers
3. Assess protective factors with guidance
triggers
DVRAM Core Assessment Tool –Children and Young People at risk of ‘significant harm’- section 47 enquires who will require safeguarding interventions
Importing the Northern Ireland DVRAM Core Assessment model
1 Severity of
Domestic
Violence
3 Risks of
Lethality and
Danger
2
Risks to Child
from
Perpetrator
4
Perpetrator’s
Pattern of
Assault and
Coercion
5
Impact of
Violence on
the Woman
6
Impact of
Violence on
the Children
7
Impact of the
Abuse on
Parenting
8
Protective
Factors
9
Outcomes of
Woman’s Past
Help-Seeking
Recommended