MAPPA and MARAC Explained: What Care Staff Need to Know

A MARAC (multi-agency risk assessment conference) is a regular local meeting where police, health, children's services, housing, probation, independent domestic violence advisers and others share information on the highest-risk domestic abuse cases and agree a plan to keep the victim safe. MAPPA is different: it's the statutory framework for managing certain sexual, violent and terrorist offenders in England and Wales.

What is a MARAC?

SafeLives, the domestic abuse charity behind the model, describes a MARAC as a "meeting where information is shared on the highest risk domestic abuse cases". The main aim is to safeguard the adult victim, while linking with other agencies to protect any children and manage the perpetrator's behaviour. The idea is simple: no single agency sees the whole picture, but between them they often do.

Some key points:

• It isn't statutory. SafeLives says MARACs "are not a statutory provision", although they operate across the UK. Local protocols set how yours runs.
• The victim doesn't attend. An independent domestic violence adviser (IDVA) represents them, then keeps them informed of actions where it's safe, and supports them with things like housing and legal help.
• Each agency owns its actions. The meeting agrees a co-ordinated safety plan, and every agency is accountable for the actions it takes away.

Who attends a MARAC

According to SafeLives, representatives come from the police (who often chair), health, child protection, housing, IDVA services, probation and other statutory and voluntary specialists. Children's and adult services, education, refuges and drug and alcohol teams can all pick up actions.

How a MARAC referral works

Any frontline professional who assesses the risk and finds a case meets the high-risk threshold can refer to the local MARAC, using that area's referral form. Many areas use the SafeLives Dash risk checklist (Domestic Abuse, Stalking and 'Honour'-based abuse), a set of 24 questions asked with the victim. The quick start guidance gives three referral criteria:

1. Professional judgement: if you have serious concerns about the victim's situation, refer, even if the other criteria aren't met.
2. Visible high risk: 14 or more "yes" answers on the checklist would normally meet the threshold.
3. Potential escalation: a pattern of police callouts in the past 12 months. Three or more is a common starting point, but local thresholds vary.

In a care service, staff should pass the concern to your safeguarding lead, who decides with the right agencies whether a referral is needed.

What is MAPPA?

MAPPA (multi-agency public protection arrangements) is the statutory framework for assessing and managing the risk posed by certain offenders. It comes from section 325 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 and applies in England and Wales.

In each area, police, probation and the prison service act jointly as the Responsible Authority. Other bodies have a duty to co-operate, including local authorities (social care, education and housing), social housing providers, integrated care boards (Local Health Boards in Wales), NHS trusts, NHS England, youth offending teams and the Department for Work and Pensions.

MAPPA categories

• Category 1: people subject to sex offender notification requirements (the "sex offenders' register").
• Category 2: mainly people convicted of violent offences and sentenced to 12 months or more in prison, or given a hospital order. Since February 2025 it also automatically includes people convicted of controlling or coercive behaviour and sentenced to 12 months or more (including suspended sentences), or given a hospital order.
• Category 3: other people whose offences show they pose a risk of serious harm and who need multi-agency management.
• Category 4: people convicted of terrorism offences, and other offenders who may be at risk of involvement in terrorism-related activity.

MAPPA levels

• Level 1: the lead agency manages the person, sharing information with others as needed, without formal MAPPA meetings.
• Level 2: formal multi-agency MAPPA meetings are needed to manage the risk.
• Level 3: the plan needs senior representatives at MAPPA meetings who can commit resources.

The Ministry of Justice's MAPPA annual report counted 97,050 MAPPA-eligible people in England and Wales on 31 March 2025, around three-quarters of them in Category 1.

MAPPA vs MARAC: the key differences

• Focus: MARAC centres on keeping a domestic abuse victim safe. MAPPA centres on managing the risk an offender poses.
• Legal footing: MAPPA is statutory. MARAC isn't.
• Way in: MAPPA eligibility usually follows a conviction or a formal risk decision. A MARAC case comes from a risk assessment and referral, with or without any conviction.
• Overlap: a domestic abuse perpetrator discussed at MARAC may also be managed under MAPPA, so the two often share information.

Information sharing and consent

The victim should normally be told about a MARAC referral and, where it's safe and possible, involved. If they don't want it, you must judge whether sharing information is proportionate and defensible given the level of risk. Explain to the person what you'll share and why, and record your decision and the reasons for it.

For MAPPA, the Act lets the listed agencies share information for the purpose of the arrangements without breaching confidentiality, but it doesn't override data protection law. Share what's needed, with the people who need it, and follow your own information-sharing policy.

What your staff should do if they have concerns

• If someone is in immediate danger, call 999.
• Listen, don't investigate. Let the person talk, don't push for detail, and don't promise to keep it secret.
• Write down what was said in the person's own words, with the date, time and who was present.
• Tell your safeguarding lead the same shift. They decide on next steps, including a safeguarding referral to the local authority or a MARAC referral.
• If you support someone managed under MAPPA, follow the risk management plan and report anything that changes the risk to whoever the plan names.

For the wider picture, see our safeguarding adults training and our guide to what a designated safeguarding lead does. Your lead may also benefit from Level 3 DSL training.

Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own arrangements. In Scotland, MAPPA runs under the Management of Offenders etc. (Scotland) Act 2005, with Police Scotland, local authorities, health boards and the Scottish Prison Service as responsible authorities. Northern Ireland uses Public Protection Arrangements Northern Ireland (PPANI) under the Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2008. MARACs also run in both nations, and SafeLives publishes separate Dash checklists for each.

How Kasorb can help

Our MAPPA and MARAC awareness training explains both arrangements as they work in England and Wales. It covers the MAPPA categories and levels, the Responsible Authority and the agencies with a duty to co-operate, your service's role in MAPPA meetings and risk management plans, what a MARAC is and how cases reach it, identifying risk with the SafeLives Dash risk identification tool, the role of IDVAs, sharing information lawfully and proportionately, and recording and escalating concerns. It runs on-site or live online and is quoted for your team. The trainer tests understanding through case studies and questions throughout, and staff receive a Kasorb certificate of completion, emailed the next day.

This guide summarises the law and guidance; it isn't legal advice.

FAQs

What is a MARAC?

A MARAC is a multi-agency risk assessment conference: a regular local meeting where police, health, children's services, housing, probation, IDVAs and others share information on the highest-risk domestic abuse cases and agree a safety plan for the victim. It isn't statutory, and the victim is represented by an IDVA.

What is the difference between MAPPA and MARAC?

MARAC focuses on protecting victims of high-risk domestic abuse and isn't statutory. MAPPA is the statutory framework, under the Criminal Justice Act 2003, for managing certain sexual, violent and terrorist offenders in England and Wales. A perpetrator can be discussed at MARAC and managed under MAPPA at the same time.

What are the MAPPA levels?

Level 1 is ordinary management by the lead agency, sharing information without formal MAPPA meetings. Level 2 needs formal multi-agency meetings to manage the risk. Level 3 needs senior representatives at those meetings who can commit extra resources. Most MAPPA-eligible people are managed at Level 1.

How do I make a MARAC referral?

Raise it with your safeguarding lead, who will use your local area's referral form. Many areas use the SafeLives Dash risk checklist: 14 or more "yes" answers normally meets the threshold, but you can also refer on professional judgement or because of escalating police callouts.

Can you refer to MARAC without the victim's consent?

Yes, in some cases. The victim should normally be told and, where it's safe and possible, involved. If they don't want a referral, you must judge whether sharing is proportionate and defensible given the risk. Record your reasons and follow your information-sharing policy.