Domestic Homicide Reviews – information for practitioners

The Manchester Community Safety Partnership (CSP) is responsible for undertaking Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHR) where the death of a person aged 16 or over has, or appears to have, resulted from violence, abuse or neglect by a relative, household member or someone s/he had been in an intimate relationship with.

The purpose of a DHR is to consider the circumstances that led to the death and identify where responses to the situation could be improved in the future. In so doing, the lessons learned will be taken on board by the professionals and agencies involved. The MSAB and MSCB also look at DHRs to share the lessons learnt.

A review panel, led by an independent chair, is commissioned to undertake a DHR. This panel will consider each agency’s review of their involvement in the case and make recommendations to improve responses to domestic violence in the future.

The panel also have the chance to hear from family, friends and work colleagues who may be able to help them understand the impact of an agency’s involvement with the victim or the perpetrator.

Domestic Homicide Reviews are not inquiries into how someone died or who is to blame. They are not part of any disciplinary process. They do not replace, but will be in addition to, an inquest or any other form of inquiry into the homicide.

In this way, agencies will improve their responses to domestic violence and work better together to prevent such tragedies occurring in the future.

The reports and findings of these reviews are published on the CSP website.

Further information 
The Home Office DHR Collection includes leaflets for review panels, statutory guidance, an equality impact assessment and lessons learned guidance (covering common themes).  There are also leaflets for families and friends and a link to online training on the website: www.gov.uk

The Greater Manchester Domestic Homicide Review Policy can be found at greatermanchesterscb.proceduresonline.com