Feel in the dark about MARAC.

[organicmama]

I've been referred to MARAC. No idea what is happening, when, who to contact to find out. HV who referred me is on holiday for a month. Other HV didn't seem to know what to say or know about me or my son/DV case.

Can anyone advise? I'm really stressed about it!

Don't be. It really won't make much difference. It just means your DV case will be discussed very quickly and briefly at a meeting with police, housing, CSD and, if lucky, ASD representatives. They speed through them. It may result in a bit more joined up offers of support. Or may not.

MARAC is a fabulous thing. It means that all relevant agencies will be aware of your case. For example, if you are still at risk of harm, police will immediately respond to any issues at your address.

Its nothing to worry about, you only stand to benefit from it.

www.reducingtherisk.org.uk/cms/content/marac

This seems to have good information about MARAC. I agree it’s something to be welcomed.

Thank you. Am I likely to receive a letter about it? Know about the outcome? Or is it all behind the scenes?

Have you been in contact with your local dv charity e.g women's aid? They'll be attending the MARAC and might be able to give you an update/more consistent support than the health visiting service.

They won't send anything out, no. Any info will come from the referrer to you directly, if they're able to give it.

You should be updated with what's been discussed and anything they are going to action to protect you that's relevant eg security measures at your home, flagged on police system for urgent response, they won't typically tell you about control measures for the perpetrator eg of he's on licence/probation etc what they plan to do with him. MARAC is victim focussed and can be an excellent way of agencies sharing information and creating an effective safety plan. I used to chair MARAC in my area. I'm assuming there has been a recent dv incident?

In my area it is attended by health, social care, police, probation, mental health, women's aid, several other local women and children's charities, local housing providers and if it involves a school child often the school are represented by an ewo or similar or the school nurse of there is one. As your HV is on leave she will have submitted a report with her concerns. They will feed back to her and she will speak to you.

@ZippyBungleandGeorge I was subjected to ongoing emotional abuse for over a year. I left him about a month ago. He's been sending me vague threats and being verbally abusive ever since. He's threatened to turn my son against me when he's older. He's told me if I don't start compromising that 'things will end badly for me' - I don't know what to do and I'm scared nobody will take this seriously.

In my area a MARAC referral triggers a referral for an IDVA (domestic violence advocate) which is very useful. Other than that it won't affect you in any real way.

Is IDVA women's aid? If so I already have an advocate.

I used to attend MARAC meetings as part of my job. They will briefly discuss your case and work out how best to keep and your son safe.
The agencies that are there will then work with you to do what needs to be done.

If everyone does their job properly, everything that needs to be done will get done and none of it will be duplicated.

It's a bloody good system and the one in my area works really well.

How they will keep us safe I don't know. I feel like I've lost all faith in everyone. Like emotional abuse is seen as nothing. So scared of not being taken seriously.

@organicmama MARAC is only for the most serious cases, by referring you that shows they believe you and are taking your situation seriously. In some areas IDVAs are provided by victim support, in others by charities. Has anyone spoken to you about a non molestation or restraining order? The people who attend these meetings desk with dv day in day out, they know how serious it is and are aware there is so much more to it than the physical. This really is a good thing, measures could be anything from restrictions on him to sorry for you and DS this could be the, a housing move if you're amenable, it can be an ANPR trace on any vehicle he owns so police monitor his movements and an alert is raised if he is near your address. It could be window and door alarms, a safety door, CCTV, it could be putting in place measures around who collects your son from school (use of password etc) lots and lots of things are possible. Please also talk to your advocate or support worker about seeking a non molestation order or an anti harassment injunction, he may well ignore them but there are then immediate legal consequences for him.

Hi I wondered if you could answer my question, I recently had a marac meeting last week my I have been told Marac has awarded my highest social housing band to bid for a house but I just wondered how long it will take them to update this information? As my housing band has not changed yet? Is it a few weeks or more or less straight away? Thank you x