Risky decision making: multi-agency working with victims experiencing high risk domestic abuse

该项目旨在探索如何理解风险问题并将其用于指导专业人员在多机构工作环境中保护和支持严重家庭暴力受害者的做法。通过这样做，该研究将有助于改进多机构的工作，从而加强在苏格兰和其他司法管辖区处理国内凶杀案方面的保障措施。研究问题这项博士研究的重点将是如何在苏格兰的MARAC过程中对风险进行概念化，以及这对评估和管理这种风险的实践的影响。目的是加强我们对从业人员及其雇佣机构如何能够更好地确保严重家庭暴力的成人和儿童受害者，特别是面临致命暴力风险的个人得到最有效的支持和保护的了解。虽然学生可以灵活地决定研究将解决的具体研究问题，但样本问题可能包括：什么因素影响转诊后对个人进行MARAC的门槛？是否某些受害者群体由于性别、性取向或种族的假设而不太可能举行MARAC，因为谁面临最大的风险，谁来自谁？应如何在MARAC中考虑儿童及其需求？专业人员如何评估风险与所制定的安全计划之间是否存在一致的联系？MARAC的讨论和结果是否受到出席任何特定会议的特定个人的影响？研究设计本研究采用混合方法设计并利用论述心理学(Wiggins和Potter，2015)，将寻求探索那些参与MARAC会议的人如何评估向会议提交的转介，贡献信息和评估参与机构在会议上分享的关于成人和儿童受害者和肇事者的信息，并为受害者制定安全计划(S)。

This studentship seeks to explore how the issue of risk is understood and used to inform the practice of professionals seeking to safeguard and support victims of serious domestic abuse within a multi-agency working context. In doing so the study will help to improve multi-agency working, thereby strengthening safeguards in addressing domestic homicide in Scotland and other jurisdictions. Research Question The focus of this doctoral study will be on how risk is conceptualised within the MARAC process in Scotland, and the implications of this for the practice of assessing and managing this risk. The aim is to strengthen our understanding of how practitioners and their employing agencies might better ensure that adult and child victims of serious domestic abuse are most effectively supported and protected, especially individuals at risk of lethal violence. While the student will have flexibility in determining the specific research questions that the study will address, sample questions could include: what are the factors influencing the threshold for a MARAC being held on an individual following referral? whether some groups of victims are less likely to have a MARAC held due to assumptions about who is at greatest risk, and from whom, due to gender, sexual orientation or race? how should children and their needs be considered within the MARAC? whether there is a consistent link between how risk is assessed by professionals, and the safety plans which are derived? whether the MARAC discussion and outcome is influenced by the particular individuals in attendance at any given meeting? Research Design This study, using a mixed methods design and drawing upon discursive psychology (Wiggins and Potter, 2015), will seek to explore how those involved in MARAC meetings assess the referrals made to the conference, contribute information and assess the information shared by participating agencies about the adult and child victims and perpetrator at the conference, and develop safety plans for the victim(s).