Toggle Contrast
Leave This Site
Home » Information for Professionals » Toolkit » DASH Risk Assessment and MARAC

DASH Risk Assessment and MARAC

This page outlines the key information and links needed for both DASH completion and MARAC referral. 

DASH Risk Assessment 

DASH (Domestic Abuse, Stalking and Honour Based Violence) is a risk assessment tool used by practitioners who work with victims of domestic abuse. The assessment is key to understanding the level of risk posed to a victim (including children). The risk levels are standard, medium and high. Victims who are assessed as high risk will meet the threshold for referral to MARAC.  The criteria for the high-risk threshold to be met are; 14 or more yes answers on the DASH, Escalation in frequency and severity of abuse or professional judgement.  

You an access the DASH Risk Assessment (available in various languages) and FAQs via: Resources for identifying the risk victims face | Safelives

There is a Risk Identification Checklist for young people accessible via: YP RIC guidance FINAL (1).pdf (safelives.org.uk) 

Additionally, if the victim has a learning disability and or autism then you can complete this easy read risk assessment.

For victims who are experiencing stalking and harassment there is a supplementary paper to be used in addition to the DASH: Risk Identification Checklist (reducingtherisk.org.uk) 

Victims of ‘Honour-based Violence’ will need to have this supplementary paper completed as well as a DASH: HBA-Risk-Questions.pdf (reducingtherisk.org.uk)

Via the training section of this website, you’ll be able to find the Tackling & Preventing Buckinghamshire Bucks DA Multiagency Training Catalogue and be able to access the free DASH/MARAC training for practitioners

MARAC 

The Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) is how local agencies share information about high-risk domestic abuse victims. The four aims of MARAC are to safeguard victims of domestic abuse, manage perpetrators’ behaviour, safeguard professionals and make links with all other safeguarding processes. 

Agencies include:

  • Police 
  • Probation 
  • Health agencies 
  • Housing services 
  • Child and adult’s social care 
  • Education providers 
  • Specialist services such as sexual support centres, refuges, substance misuse services 
  • An independent domestic violence advocate (IDVA) to put forward the views of the victim 
  • Any other organisation working with the family and the organisation making the referral 

Referring into MARAC 

Speak to your agency’s Designated MARAC Officer (DMO) and complete a MARAC referral via MODUS. If your agency does not have a DMO, contact MARAC on 01865 854271 MASHbucks@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk  

Safelives have produced a FAQ relating to MARAC which can be accessed via: MARAC FAQs General FINAL.pdf (safelives.org.uk)