1. Managing the risk Mhairi McGowan
Head of ASSIST & Domestic Abuse Services
Community Safety Glasgow

2. Outline Outline of current risk management processes across Scotland
Court processes overview
Strengths and Challenges

3. ASSIST Advocacy project operating across West Command Police Scotland
Linked to Glasgow, Ayr & Edinburgh Domestic Abuse Courts but info sent to all courts
Work across 12 local authority areas
Immediate CJ response within 24 hours until ‘case’ disposed of
Risk Assessment
Safety Planning
Practical needs
Support engagement with and throughout court process
Information to and from the court at each stage
Children’s service but limited
Co-ordinate and support risk management processes
Participate in Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARAC) in 5 LA areas
Partner in Police Multi Agency Tasking & Coordinating Groups (MATAC) and DSDAS
Adopted National Intelligence Model (NIM)
Post court disposal
Facilitate access to community services who can provide ongoing support
Address barriers to services
Build a coordinated community response

4. Risk Management processes
Child Protection
Adult protection
Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) – high risk DA victims
Multi Agency Tasking and Coordinating (MATAC) – serial and serious DA perpetrators
MAPPA 4

5. Child Protection Arises across GBV
Helping children in immediate danger
CPO
Exclusion Order
Child Assessment Order
Removal of the child
Everyone has responsibility 5

6. Child Protection Process
Assessment of risk
What harm, is it significant?
Investigation
NORM
MASH
Response
No further action
Joint Investigation
Case Conference
Child Protection Register (and Plan)
Feasible that university may be involved if an issue arises with the child of a student – or any other member of staff
Norm and MASH
All DA incidents involving a child
Police and SW
Risk & Concern Hub
MASH
NORM
EEI
Immediate safety plan and decisions 6

7. Domestic Abuse – Risk Management processes
Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) – high risk victims
Multi Agency Tasking and Coordinating (MATAC) – serial and serious perpetrators 7

8. MARAC Originated in Cardiff 2003.
Roll-out in England and Wales began in 2006
Safety in Numbers (2009) – 7/10 women who received support from an IDVA reported no further violence.
Saving Lives, Saving Money (2010) 60% of high risk victims report no further violence after receiving support from an IDVA/IDAA and MARAC.
MARAC Outcomes data (2011) - 45% of victims experienced no further police call outs, 20% of victims had fewer reported incidents
MARAC – for every £1 spent, £6 saved
– 60% of high risk victims reported no further violence after receiving support from an IDVA and MARAC.
A local, multi agency victim-focused meeting where information is shared on the highest risk cases of domestic violence and abuse between different statutory and voluntary sector agencies
Originated in Cardiff Evaluation showed reduction in repeats by 42% in the first year (Robinson).
Began in 2005
Piecemeal introduction
Currently in Scotland 29 Maracs held per month
24 out of 32 local authority area plus one suspended
Remaining 7 at varying stages of development

9. MARAC stats average June 2015
Number of MARACs sending in data 286
Number of cases discussed 78, 763
Number of children associated 101, 118
% MARAC repeats 25%
% Partner agency referrals 36%
% BME victims %
% LGBT victims %
% Victims with Disability 3.6%
% Male Victims %

10. Marac in Scotland Began in 2005 Piecemeal introduction
Currently 29 Maracs held per month
28 out of 32 local authority area
Remaining 4 at varying stages of development

11. Marac in Scotland Professional judgement Visible high risk (RIC 14)
Escalation (police call outs)
Repeat
Case should be referred again if any agency receives a report of a further incident in 12mths which includes
Violence or threats of violence to the victim (including threats against property), or stalking or harassment, or Rape or sexual abuse

12. Practitioner to Representative Representative to Practitioner
The Marac Process…
Practitioner to Representative
Representative to Practitioner
Identify & Risk assess
Referral
Research
Marac Meeting
Information Sharing & Action planning
Implement & feedback
Idaa / High risk victim and their children / Idaa
Link practitioner and MARAC representative’s roles – reaffirms Multi agency shared responsibility
Other DV victims – local services

13. MARAC Case Study Part 1 Part 2 Complete a SafeLives DASH checklist
What would you do?
Part 2
What safety planning actions could be instigated

14. MATAC Police process for tackling serious and serial perpetrators Aims
to reduce the number of domestic related homicides;
to reduce the number of victims of domestic abuse;
increase the number of domestic abuse crimes detected
increase the number of non-domestic abuse related crimes detected where the offender is a perpetrator of domestic abuse.
Equal partnership – includes local DA service, Social Work and Housing 14

15. MATAC Results
More effective partnership working and intelligence management concerning sensitive and critical information.
Shorter timeframe for delivering a preventative or responsive measure.
Multi-agency response which provides optimum support to victims.
More effective use of critical resources and skills. 15

16. Strengths of risk management model
High risk DA victims in Scotland are more visible
Sharing of information and knowledge of DA risk factors is increasing
Joint Working
Organisational culture changes
Tracking victims and perpetrators
Example Wm Lynn 16

17. DA Challenges to CJ system
Counter allegations
Special Bail conditions and the interaction with civil processes
Getting witnesses to court
Sheriff’s knowledge of complexity of DA
Understanding victim’s reticence/or language
Creative solutions
Criminal NHO’s
Long SD’s
RLO - ‘away from’ or ‘within’
Early release
From bulletin
Jen highlighted disappointing court experiences that young people fedback to her this week – one young person with additional support needs felt blamed for the incident with his martial arts hobby being brought up to support this claim. A 9yr old felt was being accused of lying to collude with mother against perpetrator & felt really attacked. Also a number of young people were frightened and distressed because special bail conds were removed between the Accused being found guilty and sentencing.
A good but late outcome for a child witness where a civil case was running parallel to a criminal case. Child had been instructed to maintain contact with the Accused throughout the wait for the trial, despite child being clear this was not wanted. The contact arrangements involved a solicitor being paid to come and remove the child from home to go to contact. The child began self-harming. A Bar Reporter produced a report acknowledging the child did not want any contact but recommending that overnight contact was given to the Accused. Child was expected to go to contact the day after appearing in the criminal court when the court was told child hated dad & didn’t want to see him again. At the civil hearing a week later, the Sheriff stopped all contact, advised that the child’s wishes had been clear and should never have been made to maintain contact with acc whilst a witness against him. Child expressed total relief and is getting support.

18. Challenges Need to strengthen inclusion/cross-sectionality
Lack of consistency
Non statutory processes
Cyclical multi agency changes
Lack of consistent training
Language
‘one’s as bad as the other’
‘volatile relationship’
Different organisational cultures 18

19. Aim… Safety #emilytest Safe and Together
perpetrator’s pattern of coercive control
Actions taken by perpetrator to harm the child
Full spectrum of non offending parent’s efforts to protect the safety and wellbeing of the child
Adverse impact of the perpetrator’s behaviour on the child
Role of substance misuse, mental health, culture and other socio-economic factors
Drive challenges perpetrators of domestic abuse. It will develop, test and evaluate a new model to permanently change perpetrator behaviour to make victims and families safe. To reduce the number of victims, we must reduce the number of perpetrators. The Drive Partnership is made up of SafeLives, Respect and Social Finance. The pilot prowill be delivered in Essex, South Wales and West Sussex. It is funded by Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales, Tudor Trust and the Police and Crime Commissioners in all three areas. It has also benefited from local authority support
One Front Door integrating MASH and MARAC 19