Guidance for Maracs: Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS)

This resource provides guidance for Maracs on the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS), previously known as ‘Clare’s Law’. The DVDS provides a set of recognised procedures for sharing information with a victim, or potential victim, of domestic violence and abuse; and to provide consistency in the way disclosures are managed.

This guidance document outlines the risk assessment process to identify if disclosure of a case is appropriate to ensure that legal constraints around information sharing are respected and the resources of the Marac are appropriately used.

It is important that a victim of domestic abuse has already been identified as being at high risk of harm before a referral to the Marac is made.

This guidance resource contains:

• What is the purpose of the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme?
• The role of the Marac
• What if the case is not assessed as ‘high risk’?
• Under what circumstances would a disclosure not be made?
• Are there any timeframes for disclosure?
• Right to ask
• Right to know
• How do we record disclosures?
• Where can I get further guidance on the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme?
• Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme flow chart