What happens with marac meeting?

[SummerIsComing234]

Hi

So I have just received a letter from one of the local support agencies saying i have been referred to marac. I had previously not scored highly enough for this to be considered and until the letter arrived I was not aware I was being referred.

The relationship in question I have left and actually reported everything to the police. I have young children and we have been disagreeing over contact times although they spend just over half the nights with me although I would be happier with more nights and shorter contacts during the day with their father.

Can anyone give me a bit of a heads up as to what will happen with the marac? I'm trying to keep control of a bad time and like to have an idea of what's coming.

Thanks

The actual meeting won't impact you much but you should be referred for an IVDA who will go through safety planning with you.

Hi I've been discussed at MARAC twice in the past 4months, all agencies sit around the table and out a plan in place to help keep you and your children safe, you should have been assigned an IDVA who will advocate on your behalf at the meeting you need to meet with her

Cross post sorry

They will basically discuss your case and make a decision on if you're considered high or low risk. If you're low risk they tend to just leave you be. If you're high risk then you will have an IDVA work with you to put measures in place to keep you safe. I had all my locks changed by the police, a panic alarm installed and a log number for the police so if I had to call them on 999 I cold just quote that number and they'd be straight out to me.

MARAC meetings are for sharing information across agencies, so eg the police may want to share information about risk with SS or school or whatever, and they'll chat about what each party needs to do to keep you and your kids safe.

You'll be referred to an IDVA (independent domestic violence advisor) who will help you with safety planning and represent your views as part of the MARAC. They'll also inform you of the support each agency involved in the MARAC have put in place for you and your family.

I had a marac meeting in November and tbh not much came of it as I'd left the relationship, took out a non mol and prohibitive steps order and was trying to move.

If they think that you're on the right track then they'll offer support but not really get involved. If they feel that there's a safeguarding issue re the children and contact then they can help with that - arrange a third party for pick ups, non mol order to keep ex away from your home etc. The various agencies involved will offer whatever support they feel is necessary to keep you and the children safe.

Take whatever support they offer you, you deserve it. Between me and my IDVA we are just about holding my sanity together. When I left they all got on board a lot more, previously they couldn't as their involvement put me at further risk, however since leaving (last week!) I've been flooded with support, hope they do the same for you

Thank you :) the letter did kind of freak me out as liking to have an idea of what's coming ahead and that was something I hadn't expected. It now makes sense why the idva has been trying to contact me although I work the same hours so meeting up isn't going to be easy but will contact them again as would like to speak to them ahead of them going to the meeting.

I am safe currently but do think I will need further things over the coming months.

Thank you everyone :)