Challenge background
Domestic abuse remains one of the most significant public protection challenges facing South Wales. For people assessed as being at highest risk of serious harm or homicide, timely safeguarding interventions and effective multi-agency coordination can be critical in reducing harm and improving safety outcomes.
South Wales Police and its partners currently deliver safeguarding through the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) process. MARAC is a long-established mechanism that brings organisations together to share information, assess risk and coordinate actions for victims experiencing high-risk domestic abuse. The principles underpinning it were developed over 20 years ago, at a time when risk management and demand were significantly different to the challenges faced by agencies today. MARAC remains one of the most important safeguarding arrangements available to public services and plays a vital role in protecting some of the most vulnerable people in society.
However, the current model is under increasing pressure. Across South Wales, more than 5,000 high-risk domestic abuse cases are managed annually across seven separate MARAC areas operating across the local authority areas of Cardiff, Vale of Glamorgan, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil, Bridgend, Neath Port Talbot and Swansea. Together, this equates to approximately 44% of MARAC demand for the whole of Wales.
Demand continues to increase whilst cases become more complex. Collective concerns about MARAC can be categorised into themes of; fragmented information sharing, inconsistent processes, and delays in identifying and mitigating escalating risk.
South Wales Police operate across each MARAC governance group in the region, and in conjunction with the South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner and wider safeguarding partners, have identified an opportunity to explore whether a different approach could deliver faster, more consistent and more effective safeguarding outcomes for domestic abuse victims. The challenge has been developed following significant stakeholder engagement and reflects a shared recognition that future approaches may need to move beyond the traditional meeting-based MARAC model.
The challenge
We are seeking innovative organisations to help South Wales Police and its partners explore how high-risk domestic abuse safeguarding could operate differently in the future.
This challenge is intentionally outcome-focused and does not prescribe a specific technology, product type or delivery model.
Applicants are encouraged to propose the approach they believe will best address the challenge and demonstrate how their expertise could help develop a more responsive, coordinated and sustainable safeguarding model for South Wales.
The challenge is not simply about introducing new technology or digitising existing MARAC meetings. Whilst technology, data and artificial intelligence may form part of the solution, partners have identified the need to explore wider service, governance and operating model redesign.
We are interested in organisations capable of helping answer questions such as:
- How can risk be identified, prioritised and escalated more effectively?
- How can organisations work together more dynamically and efficiently?
- How can safeguarding actions be coordinated more effectively across aencies to ensure accountability?
- How can professionals spend less time managing administration related to MARAC and more time delivering safeguarding interventions for vulnerable people?
- How can information be shared more effectively whilst maintaining appropriate governance and accountability?
- How can future models be developed, utilising current practises and technology to shape a practical, affordable and sustainable model, whilst navigating statutory and non-statutory responsibilities of the partnership landscape?
- How can innovation support improved safeguarding outcomes without creating additional complexity?
Applicants should not assume that technology alone is the answer. We welcome proposals that combine service design, systems thinking, operational redesign, governance innovation, behavioural approaches, digital innovation, data, analytics and artificial intelligence to explore how multi-agency safeguarding could evolve.
Who can apply?
Any organisation can submit an application, although it is expected that opportunities presented by Contracts for Innovation will be particularly attractive for SMEs.
This challenge is being delivered as a Phase 1 Contracts for Innovation Cymru competition. South Wales Police and partners recognise that this is a complex system challenge. Whilst the need for change has been identified, there is not yet a single agreed solution or future model. This competition is therefore focused on discovery, exploration, evidence generation and concept development.
Briefing
Contracts for Innovation Cymru will hold an online applicant briefing (MS Teams) on this challenge, along with three others being launched simultaneously, on Friday 2 October, 9.30am-1pm: click here to register for a briefing place.
For further information on the challenge, visit Contracts for Innovation Cymru at the link below.