Approaches to risk assessment for child or adult victim survivors according to MARAM

Evidence-based risk factors and the MARAM risk assessment tools

There are 3 categories of risk factors under the MARAM Framework.

Comprising those that are:

1. specific to an adult victim survivor’s circumstances
2. caused by a perpetrator’s behaviour towards an adult or child victim survivor
3. additional risk factors caused by a perpetrator’s behaviour specific to children, which recognises that children experience some unique risk factors, and that their risk must be assessed independently of adult victim survivors.

There is also a separate category reflecting children’s circumstances that may indicate (not determine in isolation) that family violence is present or escalating and should prompt assessment of children.

The risk factors reflect the current and emerging evidence base relating to family violence risk.