Devon County Council

Introduction to the CAADA DASH Risk Identification Checklist and Risk Management Pathways in Devon (September 2010)

Background

Adoption and implementation of the new multi-agency domestic violence and abuse risk identification checklist (CAADA DASH) across Devon:

ACPO (Association of Chief Police Officers) and CAADA (Co-ordinated Action Against Domestic Abuse – a national charity supporting a strong multi-agency response to domestic abuse) have worked together to produce an evidence based risk identification check list (DASH) to increase the likelihood of a victim of domestic violence and abuse being responded to appropriately and therefore addressing the risks they face.

This DASH (Domestic Abuse, Stalking and 'Honour'-based Violence) risk identification checklist ‘RIC’ gives practitioners (both Police and non-police agencies) common criteria and a common language of risk.

The purpose of the checklist is to give a consistent and simple to use tool to practitioners who work with victims of domestic abuse in order to help them identify those who are at high risk of harm and whose cases should be referred to a MARAC (Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference) in order to manage the risk.

What is a 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, probation, health, child protection, housing practitioners, Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs) 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.

Please refer to your organisation's copy of the: 'Protocol for the sharing of Information, on incidents of domestic violence in Devon & Cornwall, between statutory authorities, housing providers, voluntary and charitable agencies'. This protocol is concerned with the exchange of personal data.

Where we are with DASH in Devon

The Police ‘went live’ with ACPO DASH (the name of the Police DASH) across Devon and Cornwall on 1st February 2010. Adva intends to implement the use of the CAADA DASH RIC (non-police DASH) in partnership with all other agencies across Devon from January 2011. Adva has agreed copyright with CAADA for joint branding of the RIC (adva and CAADA) to avoid confusion locally. This will also give the RIC and the Quick Start Guidance which goes with it a local ‘look and feel’ for Devon, including our agreed risk thresholds, risk management pathways and links to local as well as national services.

adva & CAADA DASH RIC (100KB - pdf help)

Multi-Agency Training

As part of the adoption and implementation of the CAADA DASH RIC across Devon, adva has developed a half day multi-agency training course called: ‘The MARAC Process in Devon – increasing safety for victims of domestic violence and abuse’ to support and embed this process. This course focuses on completing the CAADA DASH RIC within all agency roles and also what to do with a completed RIC in particular with reference to the MARAC process. Please visit the adva website for more details and about the course and how to book a place: www.devon.gov.uk/marac-process.htm.

Please Note:  This course replaces the adva one day ‘Preventing Murder and Serious Harm’ training day. If you have already attended the ‘Preventing Murder and Serious Harm’ training day, this half day course is recommended as an excellent refresher and introduction to the CAADA DASH RIC.

Guidance for CAADA DASH Risk Management Pathways in Devon following completion of the adva & CAADA DASH RIC:

Please click on the links below for detailed guidance on what to do for each identified level of risk:

• High Risk
• Medium Risk
• Standard Risk

Brief Summary re: Devon’s current (September 2010) local Risk Thresholds following completion of the adva & CAADA DASH RIC: (100KB - pdf help)

‘Standard Risk’: Professional judgement and / or the number of ‘ticks’ on this checklist. If you have ticked 0 – 5 ‘yes’ boxes the case would currently meet the ‘Standard Risk’ criteria.

‘Medium Risk’: Professional judgement and / or the number of ticks’ on this checklist. If you have ticked 6 – 13 ‘yes’ boxes the case would currently meet the ‘Medium Risk’ criteria.

‘High Risk’: Professional judgement and / or the number of ‘ticks’ on this checklist. If you have ticked 14 or more ‘yes’ boxes the case would currently meet the MARAC referral criteria.

Please note that Devon’s ‘standard’ and ‘medium’ risk thresholds have not been evidenced based or piloted by CAADA. The responsibility for identifying local referral thresholds and risk management pathways rests with local MARACs and local domestic abuse service provision. Devon has agreed to pilot these ‘standard’ and ‘medium’ risk thresholds and pathways from January 2011 – June 2011 during the implementation phase of CAADA DASH RIC for all non-police agencies.