1 Aim
A multi-agency risk assessment conference (MARAC) is a local meeting where information is shared on the highest risk domestic abuse cases between representatives of the local police, probation, health, children and adult safeguarding bodies, housing practitioners, substance misuse services, Independent Domestic Violence Advisers (IDVAs) and other specialists from the statutory and voluntary sectors.
Information about the risks faced by those victims, the actions needed to ensure safety, and the resources available locally are discussed, and used to create a risk management plan involving all agencies. The multi-agency risk assessment conference is part of a coordinated response to domestic abuse, incorporating representatives from statutory, community and voluntary agencies working with victims, adults experiencing or at risk of abuse or neglect, children and alleged perpetrators.
The success of a multi-agency risk assessment conference depends upon those agencies sharing up-to-date information about individuals involved in domestic violence incidents (victims, children and perpetrators) to assess risks, agree actions and assign responsibility. Sharing information allows for an accurate assessment of risk and identification of needs to safeguard and improve the lives of survivors and any children. This means that information must be shared at the earliest opportunity to address the issue before risk escalates to the point it is difficult to mitigate or address.
The aims of a multi-agency risk assessment conference are:
- to share information to increase the safety, health and wellbeing of victims or survivors and their children
- to determine whether the perpetrator poses a significant risk of serious harm to the victim and dependents and. or staff, and ensure other approaches, for example, multi-agency public protection arrangements (MAPPA), are referred to as appropriate
- to evaluate effective information sharing to enable appropriate actions to be taken to increase public safety
- to construct and jointly implement a risk management plan that provides professional support to all those at risk and that reduces the risk of harm
- to reduce repeat victimisation
- to improve agency accountability
- to improve support for staff involved in high-risk domestic abuse cases
At the heart of a multi-agency risk assessment conference is a working assumption that no single agency or individual can see the complete picture of the life of a person who is at risk, but all may have insights that are crucial to their safety, as part of the coordinated community response to perpetrators.
The aim of this standard operating procedure is to:
- ensure that the multi-agency risk assessment conference representative has a deputy to cover any annual leave, sickness, or absence
- ensure that the nominated representatives attending for the full duration of the multi-agency risk assessment conference have the authority to commit to actions at the meeting
- ensure that the multi-agency risk assessment conference representative have had domestic abuse, multi-agency risk assessment conference and domestic abuse, stalking and honour-based violence (DASH) training. Which is the risk assessment tool used as part of managing the risk of victims of domestic abuse
- ensure that they share information relating to cases identified as high risk in accordance with Information sharing agreements and in accordance with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) legislation
- ensure that information is recorded in victims and perpetrators electronic records if open to trust services
- ensure that multi-agency risk assessment conference cases are flagged and tagged within the patient electronic records
- ensure that all actions are completed by representatives within the specified timeframe and that the multi-agency risk assessment conference administration team is updated
- ensure that colleagues involved with the multi-agency risk assessment conference are supported to reduce the impact of vicarious trauma
2 Scope
This standard operating procedure relates to Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber (RDaSH) multi-agency risk assessment conference representatives only.
3 Link to overarching policy
For more information on responding to domestic abuse and referring to multi-agency risk assessment conference (MARAC), refer to the domestic abuse policy.
4 Procedure
4.1 Agenda and research prior to the multi-agency risk assessment conference
Eight working days prior to the scheduled meeting, the multi-agency risk assessment conference (MARAC) administrator will compile a case list and agenda for the meeting and circulate to the designated multi-agency risk assessment conference representatives (DMR) from each agency represented on the multi-agency risk assessment conference.
The case lists are sent to the safeguarding adults inbox in each area. For the multi-agency risk assessment conference in Doncaster, the 0 to 19 service and Aspire provide their own research and attend to present their own information. In Rotherham and North Lincolnshire, a representative from the trust Safeguarding team is usually the only person from Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH) in attendance.
4.2 Responsibilities of the designated multi-agency risk assessment conference representatives in all areas
The designated multi-agency risk assessment conference representatives (DMR) will ensure that an alert “flag and tag” is placed on the patient electronic record for anyone listed who is currently open to trust services. The alert enables staff assessing the patient to be aware that the patient is being discussed at the multi-agency risk assessment conference, either as a victim or perpetrator. The following form of words must be used when recording the alert on the patient record:
- for victim: patient to be discussed at (insert area) multi-agency risk assessment conference (MARAC) on (insert date) as victim of high-risk domestic abuse.
- for perpetrator: patient to be discussed at (insert area) multi-agency risk assessment conference (MARAC) on (insert date) as alleged perpetrator of high risk domestic abuse. Do not disclosure to patient.
Alerts should have a 12-month expiry.
Under no circumstance, should a perpetrator know that they are being discussed at the multi-agency risk assessment conference as this may put the victim at increased risk.
An alert should not be added to any listed children’s records until after the multi-agency risk assessment conference meeting has taken place (not including where the victim and, or alleged perpetrator is under 18). See section 4.7 for more information.
It is the responsibility of the designated multi-agency risk assessment conference representatives to ensure that the necessary research is undertaken on each case. This will include research on the victim, perpetrator, and where appropriate, children. The information shared may include information about recent visits, any contact details, professional opinion on general health, child development and recent attitudes or behaviours of the family.
In some areas, a multi-agency risk assessment conference research form is available to help all the agencies to share information in a consistent and time-efficient way and will be sent by the multi-agency risk assessment conference administrator (see appendices).
The research forms must not be attached to the patient record; they must be destroyed or deleted following the multi-agency risk assessment conference meeting.
At the time of research, the representative should also add a brief note to the patient record, within the safeguarding template which includes the following:
- victim details (name and date of birth if known)
- alleged perpetrator details (name and date of birth if known)
- children listed
- for further information following the multi-agency risk assessment conference, please contact the trust Safeguarding team by completing a referral through the SystmOne safeguarding template
The “subject to MARAC” and “victim of domestic abuse” or “perpetrator of domestic abuse” tick boxes should also be ticked in the safeguarding template.
Multi-agency risk assessment conference minutes will be securely stored by the safeguarding team and can be reviewed to share appropriate information with practitioners by request.
4.3 Information sharing
The success of the multi-agency risk assessment conference hinges on effective and timely information sharing. It is recognised that families experiencing domestic abuse, and particularly those at highest risk, will need the help and involvement of a wide variety of agencies. This may include input from agencies working in the social, welfare, economic, safety, housing, criminal and civil justice sectors. Because of this a partnership approach is vital.
Individual agencies will hold incomplete information about the family, and this can inhibit the development of the most appropriate approach to managing risk. In contrast sharing information through the multi-agency risk assessment conference facilitates the development of appropriate and timely risk management plans. Information shared at the multi-agency risk assessment conference will be used to draw up a safety plan which will, in the light of the information available and when put into practice, attempt to address the risks faced by the victim and children.
In some cases, it may also cover the risks faced by other people such as family members, colleagues or friends. Risks faced by colleagues working with the family may also be identified and included in the action plan.
4.4 Key principles governing disclosures made during or following a multi-agency risk assessment conference meeting
Decisions to disclose must be necessary and proportionate, taking into account:
- the prevention or detection of crime, including safeguarding someone’s life and, or child protection needs
- if it is in the public interest
- the right to life and to live free from inhuman and degrading treatment and torture
The information that is shared at the multi-agency risk assessment conference meeting will be used to construct a safety plan which will aim to address the risks faced by the adult victim and children. Many cases will also involve children and so the requirement for information sharing for child protection purposes will, on most occasions, also come into force.
The multi-agency risk assessment conference covers only the highest risk cases of actual or suspected domestic abuse. Cases will generally be those where there is a threat of serious harm or homicide to the victim and, or their children. Multi-agency risk assessment conference cases should therefore meet the criteria for information sharing without consent. For example, most multi-agency risk assessment conference cases will clearly meet the “exceptional circumstances” outlined in the Caldicott guidelines.
Failing to share relevant information can put victims and their children at serious risk. Bearing this in mind decisions by agencies to disclose information must still be justifiable given the estimated level of risk and should be proportionate.
Professionals representing their agency on the multi-agency risk assessment conference should decide what information they should disclose on a case-by-case basis considering the criteria given above and their own agency guidance.
All agencies who are part of the multi-agency risk assessment conference have signed up to the multi-agency risk assessment conference information sharing protocols which set out their responsibilities in relation to the sharing, storing and the reviewing of the sensitive, personal data needed for multi-agency risk assessment conferences to be effective.
The sharing of information is vital to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of victims of domestic violence and their children. It is often only when information from a number of sources has been shared and is put together that it becomes clear that a child or a vulnerable adult is at risk of or is suffering harm.
4.4.1 Presenting information at the meeting
- Provide current facts about the individuals your agency is working with.
- Do not repeat any information that has already been shared unless your information adds to or conflicts with this information.
- Your information should be relevant, factual, up-to-date, and not include any hearsay or supposition.
- Include known information about perpetrator vulnerabilities that might increase risk.
- Provide any evidence of counter-allegations of domestic abuse.
- Provide relevant details of links with other victims or perpetrators to help identify any serial perpetrators or victims.
- Historical information is important if it helps to identify patterns of behaviour and risk, but agencies must ensure that any historical information is relevant.
4.5 Actions
Action planning is at the heart of the multi-agency risk assessment conference. Following the sharing of relevant and appropriate information around the multi-agency risk assessment conference table, agencies are invited to volunteer actions which will increase the safety of any vulnerable parties including people involved in the case and staff. These actions are likely to include individual agency actions to increase safety, for example, increased health visitor visits or referral to an enhanced service within the agency, multi-agency actions which maximise the resources of agencies, for example, joint visits, or agreements to engage a perpetrator to allow safety work to be carried out with a victim. The role of the designated multi-agency risk assessment conference representatives (DMR) is to ensure that these actions are undertaken, not for carrying them out themselves. This may be the responsibility of another Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH) service.
Agency actions are to be completed within the week in which the multi-agency risk assessment conference takes place unless otherwise stated on the agenda. This means that agencies should take responsibility at the meeting for noting their actions prior to the circulation of minutes and for enacting them Agencies are required to email the multi-agency risk assessment conference administrator to confirm in detail the completion of all actions.
The responsibility to take appropriate action rests with individual agencies; it is not transferred to the multi-agency risk assessment conference. The role of the multi-agency risk assessment conference is to facilitate, monitor, and evaluate effective information sharing to enable appropriate actions to be taken to increase public safety.
4.6 Recording on electronic patient record
Following the multi-agency risk assessment conference, further information only needs to be added to the patient’s record if either:
- there are additional risk factors raised in the multi-agency risk assessment conference which need to be flagged, for example any police warning markers shared
- there are specific actions for trust services
A note will have already been captured prior to the multi-agency risk assessment conference meeting. Multi-agency risk assessment conference minutes will be securely stored by the safeguarding team and can be accessed for further information as required. Multi-agency risk assessment conference minutes should not be attached to electronic patient records.
4.6.1 Recording for children discussed at multi-agency risk assessment conference or agenda
This section refers to children listed on the agenda who are not listed as victim or perpetrator (usually children of the victim and, or perpetrator). If the victim or perpetrator is under 18, the processes above should be followed.
An alert should not be added to children’s records until after the multi-agency risk assessment conference meeting has taken place. An alert is only to be added to the record if the child is in contact with victim and, or perpetrator. The rationale for this is that some children on the agenda may be away from the home where the abuse is occurring, for example, in foster care.
Where above applies, add a high-risk alert to child’s record, with an expiry date of 12 months: child discussed at (insert area) multi-agency risk assessment conference (MARAC) on (insert date), child experiencing or at risk of domestic abuse.
Following the multi-agency risk assessment conference, the representative should also add a brief note to the child’s record within the safeguarding template which includes the following:
- victim details (name and date of birth if known)
- alleged perpetrator details (name and date of birth if known)
- children listed
- for further information following the multi-agency risk assessment conference, please contact the trust Safeguarding team by completing a referral through the SystmOne safeguarding template.
The “subject to MARAC” and “child experienced or at risk of domestic abuse” tick boxes should also be ticked in the safeguarding template.
4.7 Deputising
If a designated multi-agency risk assessment conference representative (DMR) is unable to attend a multi-agency risk assessment conference meeting, they must ensure there is a deputy attending to share information on their behalf. If this is not possible, the head of safeguarding must be informed.
4.8 Authority to commit resources
All designated multi-agency risk assessment conference representatives must be of sufficient seniority to have the authority to make decisions and commit resources or have delegated authority to make decisions and commit resources, at the multi-agency risk assessment conference.
4.9 Supervision
Designated multi-agency risk assessment conference representatives must attend safeguarding supervision at least once every 90 days, as per Supervision policy. In addition, ad hoc safeguarding supervision is available from the safeguarding team or a trained safeguarding supervisor.
4.10 Training
Designated multi-agency risk assessment conference representatives must be up-to-date with domestic abuse training level 3 which includes:
- domestic abuse
- multi-agency risk assessment conference
- domestic abuse, stalking and honour-based violence (DASH) risk assessment
This training can be accessed in several ways; Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust training, multi-agency safeguarding partnership, SafeLives, or local domestic abuse services.
5 Links to associated documents
- Rotherham MARAC operating protocol: (L:\Corporate\SafeGuarding\All Age Safeguarding\policies and procedures\DVA MARAC SOP\Rotherham MARAC Operating Protocol final June 2021.doc)
- Doncaster MARAC operating protocol: (L:\Corporate\SafeGuarding\All Age Safeguarding\policies and procedures\DVA MARAC SOP\Doncaster MARAC Operating Protocol Final January 2019-1.doc)
- North Lincolnshire MARAC operating protocol: (L:\Corporate\SafeGuarding\All Age Safeguarding\policies and procedures\DVA MARAC SOP\3.3 MARAC Protocol FINAL.pdf)
6 Appendices
6.1 Appendix A Doncaster research form
Refer to appendix A: Doncaster research form (staff access only).
6.2 Appendix B Rotherham research form
Refer to appendix B: Rotherham research form (staff access only).
There is no specific research form for North Lincolnshire multi-agency risk assessment conference (MARAC).
Document control
- Version: 2.1.
- Unique reference number: 1073.
- Approved by: clinical effectiveness meeting.
- Date approved: 3 February 2026.
- Document author: head of safeguarding and domestic abuse and multi-agency risk assessment conferences (MARAC) lead.
- Title of accountable director: executive director for nursing and allied health professionals
- Date issued: 28 April 2026.
- Review date: 30 April 2029.
- Target audience: multi-agency risk assessment conference representatives.
Page last reviewed: April 28, 2026
Next review due: April 28, 2027
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