Job Title : MARAC Coordinator
Job Category : Admin & Clerical
Location : Badminton Road Council Offices, South Gloucestershire Council
Hours Per Week : 37.00
Start Date : immediate Start
Start Time : 09:00
End Time : 17:00
Salary: £17.86
Under the direction of the Consultant Social Worker the post holder will co-ordinate efficient support of the Domestic Violence Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) process within multi-agency problem solving of high risk domestic violence. The post holder will ensure the smooth running of the MARAC on a daily basis, acting responsibly and appropriately to high risk victim referrals from internal and external sources. Prepare and present information to multi-agency partners.
The main aim of the MARAC is to reduce the risk of serious harm or homicide for a victim and to increase the safety, health and wellbeing of victims – adults and any children. In a MARAC, local agencies will meet to discuss the highest risk victims of domestic abuse in their area. Information about the risks faced by those victims, the actions needed to ensure safety, and the resources available locally are shared and used to create a risk management plan involving all agencies.
The post holder will
• Liaise with and co-ordinate with local agencies to develop, maintain and review the MARAC Operating Protocol and MARAC Information Sharing Protocol, including the establishment of an agreed referral threshold to ensure that the volume of cases referred to MARAC remains manageable.
• To prepare reports for the MARAC Steering Group and Strategic Group as appropriate.
• Work closely with permanent partner agencies to ensure that all relevant members of staff are familiar with the MARAC process, and their role and responsibilities within it and receive appropriate training as necessary.
• Liaise with the full range of potential referral agencies, in particular those working with minority or hard to reach groups to ensure that the needs of all victims are met.
• Facilitate and ensure consistency in referral of cases from the full range of potential referring agencies based on the use of a common risk identification tool and referral form for victims.
• Ensure that the relevant data is collected so that the outputs and outcomes from MARAC can be recorded (including the MARAC Data Form).
• Develop and maintain the necessary documentation to ensure the smooth running of the MARAC, including the MARAC agenda, referral forms (refer MARAC cases to IDVA ahead of meeting), MARAC lists, template research forms and minutes, ensure specialist attendees are present & prepare accurate minutes of the meeting (differentiate fact and professional opinion), and include agreed actions in accordance with the MAPPA guidelines. Monitor, maintain and follow up the action list & maintain a tracking system of MARAC cases which have been flagged for twelve months following the last incident.
• To ensure that any information shared in the conduct of these duties is in line with the MARAC Information Sharing Protocol.
• To undertake these duties in line with the MARAC Operating Protocol and other relevant policies and procedures and support the work of the Chair of the MARAC in whatever way may be reasonably required.
The postholder will maintain the good image and values of the Council and uphold policies on quality of service and equality of service and opportunity.
Physical Effort and Working Environment
Normal office environment
About the team
The Commissioning, Partnership and Performance Division consists of:
Consultant Social Workers (CSWs)
The Consultant Social Workers are a team of three (1.5 equivalent) qualified social workers who work under the direction of the Head of Safeguarding. Although the post is an equivalent grade to that of a team manager, they do not directly manage a team. Instead, they have links to each of the social work childcare teams within ICS to ensure that all teams have a named CSW whom they can call upon in the first instance for any identified support needs that they or an individual may have.
The overall aims of the role of the CSW are to support, champion and challenge professional judgement in casework to assist teams in achieving the best outcomes for children and young people. Their role means that they can offer bespoke support to teams and/or to individuals regarding elements of casework where a need to do so has been identified by the worker, their manager or through some other means such as case audit.
Each CSW also has a lead area of responsibility where they provide specific support to teams and individuals; there is one for CSE, one for children missing from home, school or care, and one for domestic abuse. The MARAC co-ordinator will primarily report to the CSW who leads on practice around domestic abuse.
About the wider section/function
The CSW’s are part of the wider Strategic Safeguarding service and this is managed by the Strategic Safeguarding Service Manager. Within this service is also the Signs of Safety Practice Lead, the Local Authority Designated Officer, Quality Assurance Manager, Independent Reviewing Officers and Child Protection Chairs, Child Protection Notetakers, and Business Support. The Adults Safeguarding Manager, Senior Practitioner, Safeguarding Advisor for Education, South Gloucestershire Children’s Partnership (SGCP), South Gloucestershire Safeguarding Adults Board (SGSAB) and the Board’s Business Manager are also situated within this service.
The role of the Children’s Partnership (SGCP) is to effectively co-ordinate the work undertaken within the local authority to safeguard and promote the welfare of the children and young people who live there. The Partnership is led by an executive comprised of representatives from the three statutory partners; The local authority, the CCG and the police.
The overarching purpose of a Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) is to help and safeguard adults with care and support needs.
Problem solving and decision making examples
In addition, the post holder will carry a caseload trying to identify root causes of reported Domestic Violence and Abuse; and agree and implement practical actions to reduce the level of repeat DVA incidents. They will hold the MARAC list and coordinate all FOIs and requests for historic FOIs doing analysis work to look at trends over the last 12 months.
The post holder will have excellent organisational skills and will be responsible for project managing the MARAC processes ensuring actions are recorded and following up progress. expected to lead on the development and deployment of approaches to MARAC.
The approaches used to address MARAC priorities in this manner will be similar, and will normally include researching or developing the MARAC Operating Protocol to ensure it is fit for purpose and reviewed annually, for multi-agency action and ensuring these are deployed and implemented.
The Consultant Social Worker is available to deal with issues which involve a higher degree of individual complexity, and to give direction in policy development.