Multi-Agency Risk Identification Matrix ( DVRIM ...

Barnardo’s Registered Charity Nos 216250 and SC037605Barnardo’s Registered Charity Nos 216250 and SC037605

Multi-Agency Risk Identification Matrix ( DVRIM) –identifying risks to children

and young people from domestic violence

Maddie Bell and Vivienne Springer

[email protected]

[email protected]

Barnardo's Domestic Violence Risk Barnardo's Domestic Violence Risk Barnardo's Domestic Violence Risk Barnardo's Domestic Violence Risk Assessment Model (DVRAM) has 4 Assessment Model (DVRAM) has 4 Assessment Model (DVRAM) has 4 Assessment Model (DVRAM) has 4 Tools:Tools:Tools:Tools:

1. Multi-agency risk identification matrix (DVRIM)

2. Domestic Violence Initial assessment

3. Domestic Violence Core assessment for social care staff

4. Innovative safety planning with children young people and their mothers using ‘talking pictures’.

The Matrix ( DVRIM)BACKGROUND:

� The matrix is designed to identify

risks to children/young people

from domestic violence. It also

identifies risk level to mothers

� Implemented with Social Care

Trusts in Northern Ireland from

2003.It is now a key component

within London Safeguarding

procedure ‘ Safeguarding Children Safeguarding Children Safeguarding Children Safeguarding Children

Abused through Domestic Abused through Domestic Abused through Domestic Abused through Domestic

ViolenceViolenceViolenceViolence’’’’....

� One third of London Borough’s

LCSB’s have implemented matrix

and procedures

� It is a combined adult-child risk

identification tool

DVRIM : Objectives

To assist multi-agency staff

and social work staff to:

� Identify risks to children

from domestic violence

� Make decisions of

whether a case presents

as in need of a

safeguardingsafeguardingsafeguardingsafeguarding response or

family supportfamily supportfamily supportfamily support

� To help staff to make

appropriate

interventions for

children, non-abusing

parent and perpetrators

Risk Matrix is an effective multi-agency safeguarding tool :

� It joins up the adult victim domestic violence risk assessment ( DASH-MARAC) process to child-focussed risk assessment

� It enhances the assessment process within CAF and supports Every Child Matters by using CAF as a first-line ‘needs assessment’ for children who experience domestic violence and who may require a section 17 or 47 social care assessment

� It ensures that CAF assessments –are linked to Safeguarding procedures using Domestic Violence Risk Identification Matrix (DVRIM) to help determine this risk level to child and determine intervention

� It offers holistic support to families and maintains the focus of domestic violence as a main concern without marginalising any other significant concern

Identifying Children in Need using CAF–Domestic Violence impacts on at least 80 % of assessment areas.

Child in Need

Safeguarding

and

Promoting Their

WelfareChild’s Developmental Needs

Parenting C

apacity

Family & Environmental FactorsCommunity

Reso

urces

Fam

ily’s Social

Integ

ration

Income

Employm

ent

Housing

Wider Fam

ily

Fam

ily Histo

ry &

Function

ingBasic care

Ensuring Safety

Emotional W

armth

Stimulation

Guidance &

Boundaries

Stability

Health

Education

Emotional &

Behavioural needs

Identity

Family &

Social

RelationshipsSocial

Presentation Self CareSkills

Safeguarding/risk assessment Interlinking Risk Factors � What is severity, pattern, & frequently of the DV? Consider duration of DV incidents.

� Is there parental mental health issues? Prognosis?

� Is there substance misuse? � Is there poor parenting capacity? � Adult learning difficulties? � Treatability? Prognosis? of abuser? � Capacity to meet own needs victim/abuser?

� Capacity to meet child’s needs? � Level of couple’s parenting abilities and allocation of roles and responsibilities?

� Assess the ‘parenting style’ of abusive men. Consider assessing the parenting role of ‘shadowy men’

� Are there BMER Issues?

Child in

Need

Domestic Violence: Safeguarding : Interlinking Risk

Factors that impact on Parenting Capacity

Assessment of both Carer’s: mother & abusive father/

‘Shadowy men’

Multi-Agency Domestic Violence Risk Identification Matrix (DVRIM):

� It is a multi-agency risk identification safeguarding tool which assesses the level of risk to a child/young person who is experiencing domestic violence in their family using a four levels threshold scales

� It also assesses the level of risk to the mother- incorporating adult focussed risk factors DASH - MARAC by identifying the nature and level of the perpetrator's violence and abuse

� It indicates the level of intervention required to support and safeguard children and in doing so also can be used to protect mother

� It helps to identify what help and support is needed at an early intervention stage, it coordinates an effective respond to disclosure for children - CAF or Social Care referral-section 17 or section 47-child protection investigation

� It begins to examine the impact of the domestic violence on the child and mother

What does DVRIM do?

� It ensures ‘the visibility’ of all children in the family-it does not miss safeguarding children whose mothers are not deemed ‘high risk’ in the DASH-MARAC risk assessment

� It improves the protection and interventions for both children and their mothers by addressing the nature of the domestic violence,the risks, the vulnerabilities and protective factors present for the child in the situation

� It promotes the Sharing of information- providing a ‘common language’-where multi-agency staff can ‘identify’ the level of risk that determines a safeguarding response for the child and it considers the safety and well-being of children and mother

What does DVRIM do?

� It allows professionals to own their professional autonomy to make objective judgements;

� It challenging ‘fixed thinking’ about the family;

� It encourages and supports multi-agency working, provides a ‘common language’/’common approach’ including health professionals, housing, A&E, police, support agencies;

� It provides a context for the continual development of our skills, commitment and tenacity for working with men

� It promotes eeffective communication with recording;

� It is a tool that permits actual reflective supervision for the individual, team and multi-agency staff

Guidance on how to use DVRIM

London SCB’s new

procedures ‘

Safeguarding

Children Abused

through Domestic

Violence’

Section 9 ( pages

16 to 22)

Multi-Agency Risk Identification Threshold Scales

� Threshold 1- Risk as moderate: Children and families

with additional needs – Completion of a CAF – single

practitioner offering targeted support

� Threshold 2 – Risk as Moderate to serious: child/ren

and families with additional needs – Completion of a

CAF – Lead Practitioner – integrated support.

� Threshold 3 – Serious – Child/ren and family in need –

Section 17 – Initial assessment and family support

� Threshold 4 – Severe – Child/ren in need of

safeguarding: Section 47 enquiry – Core assessment

FACTOR CLASSIFICATION USED IN THE SCALES

� Factors are grouped into three categories – in scales

3 and 4 there are limited protective factors as the

children may be/are at increased risk of suffering

significant harm

� Evidence of domestic abuse

� Risk Factors/Potential vulnerabilities

� Protective factors

Safeguarding Procedures for Multi-Agency Risk Identification Matrix (DVRIM):

� Each threshold scale has categories to assist the professional to think through what the information they have is about

� Evidence of domestic violence-this is the most significant determinate of the scales – attention to severity, frequency, pattern and duration of domestic violence incident

� Characteristics of the child or situation which are additional risk factors/potential vulnerabilities: these are factors that may increase the risk to children/BMER vulnerability and risk factors referred to in scales 2, 3, 4

� Characteristics of the child or situation which are protective factors. Professionals should keep in mind that protective factors may help to mitigate risk factors and potential vulnerabilities

� The matrix also identifies the risks to mothers and enhances the use of

CAADA-DASH-MARAC and MAPPA ( new public safety arrangements) processes

Children who Children who Children who Children who

summon help are at summon help are at summon help are at summon help are at

heighten risk of being heighten risk of being heighten risk of being heighten risk of being

‘‘‘‘punishedpunishedpunishedpunished’’’’ by abusive by abusive by abusive by abusive

father/stepfather/stepfather/stepfather/step----father, father, father, father,

mothermothermothermother’’’’s partner,s partner,s partner,s partner,

boyfriend, orboyfriend, orboyfriend, orboyfriend, or

‘‘‘‘shadowy menshadowy menshadowy menshadowy men’’’’: need : need : need : need

referred into social referred into social referred into social referred into social

care for assessment care for assessment care for assessment care for assessment

Why ‘Age of Child’ in Matrix is a risk Indicator?

Factors that increase vulnerability/risk and appropriate interventions

� The younger the child(ren) the higher the risk to their safety. Any child

aged under 7 or child with special needs in the family can raise the

threshold to scale 3/4 as child(ren) may be potentially at risk of significant

harm and referral into Social Care – for section 17 or section 47 –

WHY?

� Young children have no or extremely limited self-protection strategies.

� Older children can develop short-term coping strategies that may keep them safe in

the ‘short term’ but all children suffer from ‘potential or actual’ emotional abuse.

� All children who experience DV in their families are exposed to hostile/tense family

environments, AND they can directly witness, intervene or be directly physically

abused or sexually abused.

� Children who ‘summons help’ are at increased risk for being ‘punished’ by abuser

for ‘calling in’ professional help.

� Social Care need to assess the risk of child suffering an adverse reaction from

abuser and check that mother supports child’s disclosure/help seeking

� Abuser's use of avoidance/resistance to engage in services-increases risks to children.

� Abuser and /or victim's engagement with social care has an element of 'disguised compliance' e.g. sporadic, passive or desultory compliance, superficial cooperation acceptance of concerns but not engaging in work to effect change/selective engagement,

� Use of distractive behaviours to disrupt professional interventions, adult deceitfulness relating to current family plans/circumstances, deliberate deception.

� Frequent moves by family contributes to difficulties in professional intervention/child/ren ‘off the radar’

Serious Case Review 2003-05 & 2005-07- Risk

factors that combine to create “Agency

Assessment Paralysis”

Serious Case Review 2003-05 & 2005-07- Risk factors that combine to create “Agency Assessment Paralysis

� Abuser's and/or victim's misuse of complaint's procedures to disrupt professional interventions- increases risks for children

� Abuser/victim may demand change of worker

� Abuser's use of threatening aggressive behaviour/pattern of hostility towards supportive professionals intimidates staff -staff cannot effectively challenge concerns and work constructively with family

� No unified professional intervention plan exists- increases risk for children

� Professional collusion or conflict over problem definition-increases risks for children professional is overwhelmed and/or lack of worker’s self confidence makes it difficult to challenge the opinions of other multi-agency professionals

Evidence which supports the MATRIX

Victim Focussed Risk Factors;

� Guidance on Investigating Domestic Violence 2005 – produced on behalf of the Association of Chief Police Officers by the National Centre for Police Excellence

� MPS – Metropolitan Police Service Risk Assessment Model for Domestic Violence

These factors are based on research and analysis conducted by the Understanding and Responding to Hate Crime Team, 2001 and on SARA (Spousal Assault Risk Assessment) developed by R.Kropp

� CAADA-DASH-MARAC

Child Focussed Risk Factors

� Evidence based practice – NI and London ( Barnet)-application of risk assessment threshold scales to social work cases ( 300 +)

� Serious Case Review Research UK June 2007 & 2009-M. Brandon & al

� M. Calder. Consultancy on domestic violence risk factors within ethnic minority groups

� C. Bell. Towards an empirical basis for Domestic Violence Risk Assessment. In Assessment in Kinship Care, by Talbot, C & Calder, M (2006)

Children’s Safety Planning Tool

Children need safety

planning : major gap in

service provision

Children’s Safety Talking Pictures

DVRAM Initial Assessment Tool for social care undertaking ‘child in need’ and ‘child protection' assessments at point of referral

Barnardo’s DVRAM Initial domestic violence assessment

1. Assess the nature of the domestic violence with

guidance triggers:

2. Assess the risks to the child and young person

with guidance triggers

3. Assess protective factors with guidance

triggers

DVRAM Core Assessment Tool –Children and Young People at risk of ‘significant harm’- section 47 enquires who will require safeguarding interventions

Importing the Northern Ireland DVRAM Core Assessment model

1 Severity of

Domestic

Violence

3 Risks of

Lethality and

Danger

2

Risks to Child

from

Perpetrator

4

Perpetrator’s

Pattern of

Assault and

Coercion

5

Impact of

Violence on

the Woman

6

Impact of

Violence on

the Children

7

Impact of the

Abuse on

Parenting

8

Protective

Factors

9

Outcomes of

Woman’s Past

Help-Seeking