Adult social work and high-risk domestic violence cases

Abstract

SummaryThis article focuses on adult social work's response in England to high-risk domestic violence cases and the role of adult social workers in Multi-Agency Risk and Assessment Conferences. (MARACs). The research was undertaken between 2013-2014 and focused on one city in England and involved the research team attending MARACs, Interviews with 20 adult social workers, 24 MARAC attendees, 14 adult service users at time T1 (including follow up interviews after six months, T2), focus groups with IDVAs and Women's Aid and an interview with a Women's Aid service user. FindingsThe findings suggest that although adult social workers accept the need to be involved in domestic violence cases they are uncertain of what their role is and are confused with the need to operate a parallel domestic violence and adult safeguarding approach, which is further, complicated by issues of mental capacity. MARACS are identified as overburdened, under-represented meetings staffed by committed managers. However, they are in danger of becoming managerial processes neglecting the service users they are meant to protect. ApplicationsThe article argues for a re-engagement of adult social workers with domestic violence that has increasingly become over identified with child protection. It also raises the issue whether MARACS remain fit for purpose and whether they still represent the best possible response to multi-agency coordination and practice in domestic violence.

Professional Knowledge on Violence in Close Relationship in Swedish Social Services

“…Neff et al, 2012), and that the majority had a Bachelor of Science in Social Work or a degree related to social sciences and health care. However, to be professional in vocational training, social workers need basic education as well as continuing training in an ongoing process (Flora & Argyroudi, 2016;Mclaughlin, Robbins, Bellamy, Banks, & Thackray, 2018). In this study the majority of the participants had participated in continuing education to a greater extent than found in similar studies (Danis, 2004;Dolunay-Cug, Toplu-Demirtaş, & Murray, 2017;Heffernan et al, 2014).…”

Innovating during the pandemic? Policing, domestic abuse and multi-agency risk assessment conferencing (MARACs)

“…Importantly, given some of the comments reported here, more work is needed on how the content and conduct of MARACs is affected when the police take the lead, something, which seems to have become more of a routine feature, as the move to digital online MARACs. It is difficult to assess the extent to which this leadership role enhanced the work of MARACs during the pandemic or inhibited the participation of other partners (on the importance of these issues in respect of attendance, McLaughlin et al, 2018)). The power and the function of the lead agency is an issue referred to by Bottoms (1990) and to a large extent remains unspoken.…”

“…The key purpose of a MARAC is, namely, information sharing, coordinated safety and action planning linking with other relevant agencies (McLaughlin et al, 2018). SafeLives goes on to say:…”

Domestic Abuse and Elder Abuse in Wales: A Tale of Two Initiatives

“…Whereas adult social care professionals can identify domestic abuse in older people, their knowledge of the pathways involved in tackling it can be limited (McLaughlin et al, 2016). Wydall et al (2015) found that in the 17 of the 21 local authorities consulted, adult social workers did not follow the domestic abuse pathway but went down the adult safeguarding route, irrespective of the individual needs of the older person.…”

“…Research suggests that adult social workers are uncertain of their role in domestic violence cases and struggle to navigate between safeguarding and domestic abuse procedures operating in parallel (McLaughlin et al, 2016;Robbins et al, 2016). In Wales, Wydall et al (2015) report that agencies often work in silos, with little evidence of multi-agency working in the standard to medium risk cases.…”