Introduction

The Victorian Government established the Family Violence Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management (MARAM) Framework in legislation in 2018. It responds to the first three recommendations of Victoria’s Royal Commission into Family Violence (2016).

MARAM supports professionals to work together to consistently identify, assess and manage family violence risk and provide more joined up support. It covers all aspects of service delivery.

This includes:

  • early risk identification
  • screening
  • assessment and management
  • safety planning
  • collaborative practice
  • recovery.

MARAM provides the most comprehensive, evidence-based framework for assessing and managing the risk of family violence across Australia. The Framework has evolved over time and now comprises an extensive set of resources to support best practice. These include:

  • Foundation Knowledge Guide (2019, updated 2021)
  • Victim survivor-focused MARAM Practice Guides (2019)
  • Adult using family violence-focused MARAM Practice Guides (2021)
  • Organisational Embedding Guide (2021)
  • Guidance to accurately identify the predominant aggressor and respond to misidentification (2022)
  • Child and young person-focused MARAM Practice Guides (for release in 2026).

MARAM aims to:

  • create a shared understanding of family violence and perpetrator behaviour
  • increase the safety of people experiencing family violence
  • keep perpetrators in view and accountable for their actions
  • help organisations align with MARAM to ensure consistent service delivery
  • ensure family violence responses account for diverse experiences. This includes:
    • Aboriginal communities
    • diverse communities and identities
    • children
    • young people
    • older people
    • different family and relationship types.

The government is implementing MARAM alongside two other reforms:

  • the Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme (FVISS)
  • the Child Information Sharing Scheme (CISS).

The Family Violence Protection Act 2008 prescribes a range of organisations that have legal obligations to use the MARAM Framework, FVISS and CISS to identify, assess and manage family violence risk.

Prescribed organisations that use FVISS and CISS are called Information Sharing Entities (ISEs).

Section 193(2) of the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 requires that we table an annual report in parliament. This report sets out the progress of MARAM implementation.

This document is the seventh report since the legislation came into effect. It covers implementation activities from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025.

The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (department or DFFH) is committed to the wellbeing and safety of families and children experiencing family violence. Family Safety Victoria (FSV) is the dedicated division within the department that leads the statewide implementation of MARAM and the FVISS. The Department of Education leads the implementation of the CISS.

FSV develops MARAM and FVISS resources and practice guidance, governance, monitoring and reporting.

As lead, FSV supports many government portfolios. Each portfolio tailors its policies, resources and training to the needs of its workforce. This includes communication about the reforms and responses to barriers the workforces face.

There are four strategic priorities for implementing MARAM across government:

  • Organisational leaders assign responsibilities across their services. They ensure their staff have the resources to assess and respond to family violence.
  • Collaboration helps services work together to better identify, assess, share and manage family violence risk.
  • Capability gives workers the right skills, knowledge and tools to identify and respond to family violence safely and effectively.
  • Continuous improvement helps services keep learning and strengthening how they identify and respond to family violence.

This report is structured in four sections that represent each of these priorities. Appendices 1–3 provide more context for the reforms, legislation and information sharing governance structure. Appendix 4 lists the portfolios that have contributed to this report in 2024–25. Appendix 5 provides background and limitations for the 2025 MARAM Annual Survey.

This report comprises highlights from each portfolio report. Throughout the report, FSV may be referred to as DFFH or ‘the department’.

Updated

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