Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC)

About the MARAC

The MARAC is a domestic abuse Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC). It brings together representatives from a number of agencies to discuss the safety, health and well-being of people experiencing domestic abuse (and their children). 

An agency will make a referral to MARAC to get support from other agencies for an individual. This individual has been identified as being at high risk of serious harm or death from domestic abuse.

The definition of domestic abuse  

The Home Office 2021 definition of domestic violence and abuse states: 

Behaviour of a person (“A”) towards another person (“B”) is “domestic abuse” if A and B are each aged 16 or over and are personally connected to each other, and the behaviour is abusive. 

Behaviour is “abusive” if it consists of:

• physical or sexual abuse
• violent or threatening behaviour
• controlling or coercive behaviour
• economic abuse
• psychological, emotional, or other abuse 

Persons are personally connected if they are, or have been:

• married
• civil partners
• agreed to marry one another
• entered into a civil partnership agreement
• are or have been in an intimate personal relationship
• they have or have had a parental relationship in relation to the same child
• or are relatives

(Domestic Abuse Act 2021)  

More information about domestic and sexual violence and abuse

Go to our domestic and sexual violence and abuse, stalking and harassment and violence against women and girls pages.

How to make a MARAC referral

To make a referral, make sure you send it to the correct local authority.

Send MARAC referrals to the local council that the victim currently lives in. For a Brighton & Hove MARAC case, the referred individual needs to live in Brighton & Hove.

Find the local council for an address

You need to complete a:

• Domestic Abuse Stalking and Harassment Risk Identification Checklist (DASH RIC) form
• MARAC referral form

Start your MARAC referral

If you can not complete all or part of the DASH RIC form, put the reason on the MARAC referral form.

Send the completed DASH RIC and MARAC referrals to MARAC.Brighton@brighton-hove.gov.uk.

MARACs in Brighton & Hove

The Brighton & Hove MARAC is held once a week on Thursdays from 10am.

The Brighton & Hove MARAC support team

Brighton & Hove MARAC support team provides administrative support to facilitate the weekly MARAC meetings.

The Brighton & Hove MARAC support team do not:

• manage cases
• provide information on request to professionals - unless they are a MARAC lead representative for their agency

How you can get information from the MARAC

Contact the MARAC lead agent representative for your agency.

About the referred individuals

The referred individual does not attend the MARAC. An Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) from Victim Support will offer them support. Before the meeting, the IDVA will get the referred individual’s views and opinions. They will take these to the MARAC and then update the person on the outcomes of the meeting.

Contact the Brighton & Hove MARAC

Send an email to MARAC.Brighton@brighton-hove.gov.uk to get more information on:

• the MARAC process
• discuss a potential referral
• find out who the MARAC lead representative is in your agency

Report an emergency

The Brighton & Hove MARAC is not an emergency response team. 

If someone is in immediate danger phone 999. 

For all other enquiries to Sussex Police phone 101.

The specialist domestic abuse support in Brighton & Hove is delivered by Victim Support.

To make a referral, send an email to brightonhoveDASS@victimsupport.org.uk or phone 0300 323 9985. 

Concerns about a child or young person or a vulnerable adult

Go to our adult and children’s safeguarding page.