Multi-Agency Risk Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Assessment ConferenceConferenceDetective Inspector Detective Inspector

Paul WhitePaul White

BSCB Annual Conference 4th June 2009

HistoryHistory April 2003 – CardiffApril 2003 – Cardiff 16 Statutory and Non Statutory Agencies16 Statutory and Non Statutory Agencies Initial Monthly meetingsInitial Monthly meetings Now two weekly – 20 new cases per Now two weekly – 20 new cases per

meeting.meeting. CAADA – Combined Action Against CAADA – Combined Action Against

Domestic Abuse –Domestic Abuse – www.caada.org.ukwww.caada.org.uk Bromley MARAC commenced March 2008Bromley MARAC commenced March 2008

Aims of the MARAC Aims of the MARAC Increase safety, health and well-being of Increase safety, health and well-being of

victims and children.victims and children. Determine level of risk posed.Determine level of risk posed. Construct jointly and implement safety Construct jointly and implement safety

planning/professional support to reduce planning/professional support to reduce risk.risk.

Reduce repeat victimisation.Reduce repeat victimisation. Improve Agency accountability.Improve Agency accountability. Improve support for staff involved in high Improve support for staff involved in high

risk DV casesrisk DV casesCAADA MARAC implementation guide

Your client discloses DV Your client discloses DV Life and limb Life and limb Immediate risk – offender present or Immediate risk – offender present or

longer term?longer term? Police called?Police called? Risk assessment – CAADA Risk assessment – CAADA

recommended risk indicator checklist / recommended risk indicator checklist / Barnardo’s risk assessment for Barnardo’s risk assessment for children.children.

High risk / very high risk – immediate High risk / very high risk – immediate action required?. Refer to MARAC via action required?. Refer to MARAC via agency representative. If no agency representative. If no representative – MARAC coordinator. representative – MARAC coordinator. All others to One Stop Shop.All others to One Stop Shop.

CAADA risk indicator CAADA risk indicator checklistchecklist

http://www.caada.org.uk/library_resources.html#2 Identifies cases to be referred to MARACIdentifies cases to be referred to MARAC Be alert to the fact that risk is dynamic.Be alert to the fact that risk is dynamic. Three common criteria for referral – Three common criteria for referral –

professional judgement, visible high risk professional judgement, visible high risk 14 or more ‘Yes’, potential escalation.14 or more ‘Yes’, potential escalation.

Explain to the victim the purpose of the Explain to the victim the purpose of the risk indicator checklist.risk indicator checklist.

Refer to your MARAC lead or to MARAC Refer to your MARAC lead or to MARAC CoordinatorCoordinator

Common Safety Planning Common Safety Planning OptionsOptions

Sanctuary / Safer Bromley Van / CPOSanctuary / Safer Bromley Van / CPO Refer to One Stop ShopRefer to One Stop Shop Panic Alarm / Prioritise calls to addressPanic Alarm / Prioritise calls to address Assistance to obtain County Court Assistance to obtain County Court

ordersorders Housing Options – relocation / refugeHousing Options – relocation / refuge Social Care – Child Care PlanSocial Care – Child Care Plan Freedom ProgrammeFreedom Programme Drugs and Alcohol OutreachDrugs and Alcohol Outreach

Safety Planning Safety Planning continued….continued….

Monitoring release from HMPMonitoring release from HMP Offender targetingOffender targeting Awareness of the situationAwareness of the situation Requests of agencies to change / Requests of agencies to change /

adopt certain proceduresadopt certain procedures Referral of offender to MAPPAReferral of offender to MAPPA

Advantages Advantages

Increased safety of high risk victims Increased safety of high risk victims and children.and children.

Joint Agency Working - relationships, Joint Agency Working - relationships, joint visits, staff safety.joint visits, staff safety.

Advance information - moving Advance information - moving into/moving on.into/moving on.

Reduction of repeat victimisation.Reduction of repeat victimisation. Cost savings for local services.Cost savings for local services.

Evaluation feedback Evaluation feedback from Cardiff from Cardiff

““Before I joined I wouldn’t have had a clue how to Before I joined I wouldn’t have had a clue how to get in touch with probation. We now have points of get in touch with probation. We now have points of contact and are on first name terms with people in contact and are on first name terms with people in the other agencies to find out pieces of the other agencies to find out pieces of information.” information.”

““Some agencies have snippets of info that on their Some agencies have snippets of info that on their own don't raise any particular concern. Its only own don't raise any particular concern. Its only when the jigsaw of info is pieced together that the when the jigsaw of info is pieced together that the risk factors begin to be understood.”risk factors begin to be understood.”

““I think that the agencies involved in MARAC are I think that the agencies involved in MARAC are underestimating how important the work is . They underestimating how important the work is . They are not allowing staff to have time to devote to are not allowing staff to have time to devote to MARAC”MARAC” CAADA MARAC implementation guide

Continued………Continued……… ““It is important that we don’t hide behind It is important that we don’t hide behind

issues of Human Rights, privacy. When we issues of Human Rights, privacy. When we talk about Human Rights we should be talk about Human Rights we should be looking at articles 2 and 3 the freedom to live looking at articles 2 and 3 the freedom to live without threat of torture, freedom of life…..we without threat of torture, freedom of life…..we need to think about the issue proportionality. need to think about the issue proportionality. In terms of victims we are looking at the In terms of victims we are looking at the critical few… Agencies need to look a bit critical few… Agencies need to look a bit deeper at their reasons for not sharing info, deeper at their reasons for not sharing info, and not being prepared to work together”and not being prepared to work together”

42% of victims referred to MARAC remained 42% of victims referred to MARAC remained free of violence after one year.free of violence after one year.

CAADA MARAC implementation guide.

The National PerspectiveThe National Perspective

Supplied courtesy of CAADA

Bromley PerspectiveBromley Perspective

Reporting to Police of DV for the size of Reporting to Police of DV for the size of population falls just short of national population falls just short of national average.average.

Reliance on partner agencies to disclose.Reliance on partner agencies to disclose. Attendees are at middle manager level Steering Group – Strategic leads for each

organisation. Approximately 20% of referrals are from

agencies other than Police.

ContactsContacts

Detective Inspector Paul White – Detective Inspector Paul White – Bromley Police Station 0208 284 9985Bromley Police Station 0208 284 9985

Mr David Gaywood – LBB DV Mr David Gaywood – LBB DV Coordinator 0208 313 4290Coordinator 0208 313 4290

PC Jean Hydes – MARAC Coordinator – PC Jean Hydes – MARAC Coordinator – Bromley Police Station 0208 284 8765Bromley Police Station 0208 284 8765