Standard - MAPPA and MARAC work together to manage the risk of serious harm posed by offenders convicted of domestic abuse

22.21 The focus of MARAC is the protection of victims who are at a high risk of serious harm from domestic abuse. A meeting is convened to share information to enable an effective RMP to be developed.

The link between MAPPA and MARAC

22.22 To avoid duplicating effort and resources, the work of MARAC and MAPPA should be co-ordinated in such a way as to provide the most effective response to the victim and ensure that a robust RMP is in place. MAPPA is a statutory set of arrangements and a MAPPA meeting at level 2 or 3 should take precedence over the MARAC. All offenders assessed as requiring Level 2 or 3 MAPPA management must be managed through MAPPA meetings. However, it may not be necessary to hold a MARAC where victim safety planning is agreed at the MAPPA meeting. This should be agreed between the MARAC and the MAPPA meeting Chair.

22.23 Where an offender meets the criteria for Level 2 or 3 MAPPA management and the victim has been referred to the local MARAC, the IDVA must be invited to the MAPPA meeting, together with any other professionals who have relevant information about the victim. The MAPPA meeting will ensure that the risk assessment and MAPPA RMP effectively identify and put in place actions to protect the victim, but it may also need to address other risks posed by the offender that could not be addressed through the MARAC process. The quality of the MAPPA RMP will be enhanced with the additional information that the IDVA and others can provide. This will support the effective management of the offender and reduce the potential risk of harm to the victim. For Level 1 cases, the lead agency should engage with the IDVA to support MARAC. Further information on MARAC can be found at www.safelives.org.uk.

Disclosure of MAPPA meeting minutes to a MARAC

22.24 MAPPA meeting minutes are only provided to those agencies who participated in the MAPPA meeting and who have therefore agreed to the confidentiality statement and disclosure of information arrangements that applied to the meeting. Some of those agencies will also attend the MARAC. The participants in the MAPPA meeting can ask for the MAPPA meeting Chair's permission to share details of key decisions with the MARAC meeting.

22.25 In cases where an offender has previously been managed at MAPPA Level 2 or 3 and there is a further incident of domestic abuse, which is referred to MARAC, the MARAC coordinator can request a MAPPA meeting minutes executive summary. This should be provided within 10 working days, or earlier when it is agreed to be necessary. It may be reasonable to seek the MAPPA meeting Chair's permission to share key details of the relevant decisions made at a MAPPA meeting, to avoid the need to provide an executive summary.