Kent review

In cases that have been referred to MARAC, where there is information that the victim is too frightened to report domestic abuse to them, Kent Police must actively seek to engage with the victim.

Kent Police must ensure that Public Protection Unit supervisors have considered all the available information before making decisions about MARAC actions and that they record their rationale.

Kent Police must ensure that officers working in Public Protection Units have an in depth understanding of how best to provide support to victims of domestic abuse.

Kent Police must ensure that an understanding of the MARAC repeat referral criterion forms part of their domestic abuse training programme.

In its domestic abuse training programme, Kent Police must highlight that once two people have had an intimate relationship, it will be domestic abuse if one inflicts upon the other, behaviour that is mentioned in the definition of domestic abuse, regardless of the passage of time.

Kent Police must ensure that police officers and police staff who may have contact with vulnerable people understand when safeguarding alerts should be made to Kent County Council Adult Services (KCCAS).

KCCAS must ensure that staff who might work on cases involving domestic abuse are aware of the criterion for the repeat referral of a case to the MARAC.

KCCAS must ensure that they have a robust system for communicating safeguarding information within their organisation and to other organisations.

Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) should ensure that GPs are aware of the MARAC process, including the criterion for referring repeat cases.

NHS England should ensure that the contractor responsible for storing archived GP records is aware of the requirement to provide the records in a timely manner when requested for a DHR.

CCGs in Kent and Medway should provide guidance to GPs about providing records when requested as part of a DHR, taking account of Section 10 of the Multi-Agency Statutory Guidance for the Conduct of Domestic Homicide Reviews.

Town A Borough Council must ensure that their Housing Area Managers are understand the provisions of the Kent and Medway MARAC Operating Protocol and Guidelines and how to make MARAC referrals.

ABC should consider nominating an officer who will attend the MARAC in the absence of the Housing Options Officer.

Kent Domestic Abuse Consortium (KDAC) should remind IDVAs when attempts to contact victims, whether successful or not, cannot be recorded contemporaneously on the database, full and accurate records of the time and content of calls should be made and added to the database at the earliest opportunity.

KDAC members must agree a process that ensures the IDVA who has the greatest knowledge of a case attends the MARAC meeting when it is discussed.

KDAC must ensure that before closing a case that was initially referred to a member organisation by another agency, the referring organisation should be asked if they have any further relevant information.

Kent and Medway Domestic Abuse Strategy Group (KMDASG) should consider publishing the Kent and Medway MARAC Operating Protocol and Guidelines online.

KMDASG should take the lead in encouraging appropriate agencies to become involved in chairing MARAC meetings.

KMDASG should agree a process that ensures minutes are taken at all MARAC meetings and include this in the Kent and Medway MARAC Operating Protocol and Guidelines.

KMDASG must establish a process that ensures all MARAC actions from the previous meeting have either been implemented or if not, the reasons why. A record must be kept of the results.

The Home Office should ensure that the definition of ‘personally connected’ in the Statutory Guidance for Section 76 of the Serious Crime Act 2015 is changed to ensure that all victims of domestic abuse are protected.

The chair of the Kent Community Safety Partnership (CSP) should share this report with the chair of the Kent and Medway Safeguarding Adults Board.