National standards for operation of Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARACs): FOI review

Information requested

You asked for 'the recorded date when the National Standards between the Scottish Government and SafeLives were agreed pertaining to the operation of Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARACs).'

Response

I have concluded that the original decision should be confirmed, with modifications. I have explained this and provided further information in the paragraph below.

The Scottish Government published a consultation paper, ‘Improving Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Interventions for Victims of Domestic Abuse: A Scottish Government Consultation’, on 30 November 2018. The consultation ran until 2 March 2019. Analysis of the responses was published in December 2019 and can be viewed at https://www.gov.scot/publications/improving-multi-agency-riskassessment-interventions-victims-domestic-abuse-analysis-consultation-responses/pages/2/. I believe that it would have been helpful to share this information with you in the original response, and apologise for the oversight. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, work in this area has been paused over 2020, however we are now taking forward stakeholder engagement to explore next steps based on the outputs of the consultation.

You make a number of other points in your email in relation to a specific case and actions by public bodies. The Scottish Government cannot comment on nor intervene in specific cases. In relation to concerns you have about the actions of specific public bodies, further information on how to complain is available on the Scottish Public Service Ombudsman's website at https://www.spso.org.uk/how-to-complain-about-public-service.

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