Risk Assessment and Safety Planning

When someone is experiencing any form of Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence, it is vital to make an accurate and fast assessment of the danger the person is in, so they can get the right help as quickly as possible.

DASH Risk Checklist

The SafeLives Dash risk checklist is a tried and tested way to understand risk. Dash stands for domestic abuse, stalking and ‘honour’-based violence. The questions are based on extensive research of domestic abuse.

Who is it for? Who can use it?

The Dash risk checklist can be used for all intimate partner relationships, including LGBT relationships, as well as for ’honour’-based violence and family violence. It is primarily intended for professionals – both specialist domestic violence workers, such as Idvas, and other professionals working for mainstream services. It aims to provide a uniform understanding of risk across professions. There is a specific police version of the risk checklist, which is used by most police forces in England and Wales, including Gwent.

How does it work?

The simple series of questions makes it easy to work out the risk someone is facing, and what they might need to become safe and well. A high score means the victim is at high risk of murder and/or serious harm and needs urgent help. These victims should get help from an Idva, and all the relevant local agencies should come together at a Marac meeting to make a plan to make them safe. The Dash risk checklist is available in several languages, as is guidance on how to use the tool.

The Dash cannot replace vital professional judgement. It cannot replace the need for training. It is guidance. For this reason it’s important that the person completing the Dash has received appropriate training –please see training section for details.

For further information, please visit www.safelives.org.uk

Domestic Abuse Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC)

A MARAC is a meeting where information is shared on the highest risk domestic abuse cases between representatives of local police, health, child protection, housing practitioners, Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs), probation and other specialists from the statutory and voluntary sectors.

After sharing all relevant information they have about a victim, the representatives discuss options for increasing the safety of the victim and turn these into a co-ordinated action plan. The primary focus of the MARAC is to safeguard the adult victim. The MARAC will also make links with other fora to safeguard children and manage the behaviour of the perpetrator. At the heart of a MARAC is the working assumption that no single agency or individual can see the complete picture of the life of a victim, but all may have insights that are crucial to their safety. The victim does not attend the meeting but is represented by an IDVA who speaks on their behalf.

In Gwent MARAC meetings are held every two weeks in each local authority area.

For further information, please visit www.safelives.org.uk

Modern Slavery Human Trafficking (MSHT) MARAC

A MSHT MARAC is a meeting where information is shared on the unknown risk or identified high risk to an individual or group of people who have been identified as being a victim of modern slavery or is suspected of being a victim of exploitation. Information is shared between representatives from the statutory and third sector agencies.