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5.6 Matrix for Domestic Abuse Risk Assessments

This chapter was new in the July 2009 update.


1. The Risk Assessment Matrix is a tool to assist professionals to use the available information to come to a judgement about the risk of harm to a child. This may include deciding that the available information is not enough to form a sound judgement about the risk.
2. Professionals who have not had specific training should, wherever possible, complete the risk identification matrix together with their supervisor.
3.

A professional may have a lot or a very little information indicating that domestic violence is taking place within a family. The professional should look across the whole matrix and tick the description/s of the incidents / circumstances which correspond best to the information available at the time. This is likely to mean ticking several descriptions. 

The scale headings at the top of each section indicate the degree of seriousness of each cluster of incidents / circumstances (e.g. scale 1: moderate risk of harm).
4.

Each scale has categories to assist professionals to think through whether the information is about the:

  • Evidence of domestic violence;

    This is the most significant determinant of the scale of risk (moderate through to severe).
  • Characteristics of the child or situation which are additional 'risk factors / potential vulnerabilities';

    These are the factors that may increase the risk of children suffering Significant Harm through the domestic violence.
  • Characteristics of the child or situation which are 'protective factors'.

    Professionals should keep in mind that protective factors may help to mitigate risk factors and potential vulnerabilities.
5. A family's situation may mean that there are ticks under more than one scale heading e.g. moderate (scale 1) and moderate to serious (scale 2). Where this is the case, professionals should judge the risk to the child/ren to be at the higher level and plan accordingly.
6. Professionals should always keep in mind the possibility that a piece of information, currently not known, could significantly raise the threshold of risk for a child.

End