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Multi-Agency Risk Management Guidance for Referrers

Version: 2
Date published: October 2025
Review due: October 2028

Contents

Introduction

The Multi-Agency Risk Management subgroup (MARM) is a subgroup of the West Sussex Safeguarding Adults Board, which meets monthly to consider further actions for adults where risk remains high despite measures attempted to address/mitigate risk.

The criteria for consideration at the subgroup are:

  • The adult appears to have care and support needs;
  • Efforts have been made to reduce risk, and work with others to do this, and there continues to be a significant concern about the well-being and safety of the adult;
  • The adult has a service or agency currently involved;
  • An agency’s risk assessment must have been completed and submitted with each referral.

MARM is not:

  • A place for management oversight;
  • A place to handover a case to another agency;
  • To replace other procedures (e.g. safeguarding, self-neglect/hoarding)
  • To replace other practice meetings (e.g. professionals/planning/multi-agency)

Referral checklist

Please check the following before making a referral:

  • There is a comprehensive and up-to-date risk assessment in place identifying how risk is mitigated. This needs to be submitted with the referral.
  • The safeguarding pathway has been considered and a referral made if there is a risk of abuse/neglect.
  • Mental capacity has been considered and assessed and a best interests process followed.
  • Self-neglect/hoarding procedure has been followed, if appropriate.
  • Multi-agency working has been undertaken to address risk. This might include, but is not limited to Professionals’/Planning/Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) meetings.
  • Consent has been sought to refer and, when this is not possible to establish, appropriate reasons for this are recorded on the referral form.
  • Please also ensure senior oversight for your referral has been sourced from your Safeguarding Lead/Locality Manager/Agency Lead.

A note about language and terminology

When completing your referral form, please be mindful of the language and terminology you are using. Sometimes the way that we use language can create stigma or provide barriers to understanding or positive engagement. This means that it’s essential that you consider any unconscious biases you may hold, and any organisational cultural language which may need to be challenged.

It is also important to consider whether you are taking a trauma-informed approach to your work with the adult. This means recognising when someone may be affected by trauma, collaboratively adjusting how we work to take this into account, and responding in a way that supports recovery, does no harm, and recognises and supports people's resilience.  

For more information, visit our learning resources:

Submitting your referral

Look at our MARM Referral Form Guidance (PDF, 95KB) for advice on what information to include in your referral. When referring, fully complete the form and send with the current risk assessment to SafeguardingAdultsBoard@westsussex.gov.uk. Please note: Your referral will not be accepted without a risk assessment.

If there is immediate risk, please don’t delay action/await MARM.

Key documents

On our website, you will find the following:

Please also refer to the Pan Sussex Policy and Procedures before you make a referral including:

What happens next

Your referral will be triaged by the Chair and Vice Chair of the MARM subgroup. If it meets criteria, you will be offered a slot to present your case at the next available MARM meeting.

Slots at MARM are strictly 20 minutes long, and you will be expected to present a brief summary of your case in the first five-ten minutes. The rest of the time will be used for MARM members’ queries, discussion and advice. Following the MARM meeting, referrers will receive an extract of the minutes with the advice/actions agreed to take forward.

Please note that MARM does not ‘hold’ or have any ongoing oversight or accountability for cases.

If your case does not meet criteria, you will be offered feedback from the Chair/Vice Chair. You will be invited to make a re-referral for the adult should the circumstances/risk change such that MARM criteria is met.

Guidance on completion of the referral form

For guidance on completing the referral form, including what to include in the form, please read our referral form guidance:

Last updated: 17 October 2025