DASH Risk Checklist

The Domestic Abuse, Stalking and Honour Based Violence (DASH 2009-2024) Risk Identification, Assessment and Management Model was implemented across all police services in the UK from March 2009. The DASH was accredited by ACPO Council, now known as National Police Chief Council (NPCC).

The DASH is a multi-agency tool used by most agencies with a focus on keeping victims and their children safe and ensuring perpetrators are proactively identified and managed. The DASH is pioneering and innovative, turning a reactive ‘it’s just a domestic’ into a proactive ‘you must ask’ questions approach. Half the questions focus on coercive control and there is a focus on stalking and so-called honour based abuse because these are the cases where women and children are more likely to be harmed and killed by abusers.

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Who Is This Checklist For?

All professionals working in public protection including those who work with domestic abuse victims, stalking, so–called honour based abuse, child protection and adult safeguarding, sexual abuse, MARAC, MAPPA, mental health and missing persons.

- Identify high risk and serial perpetrators
- Save and change lives through early identification, intervention and prevention
- Identify risk and needs
- Ensure an effective investigation
- Create a common language across agencies to refer a case to risk management meetings such as MARAC
- Enable information sharing
- Inform decision making
- Identify high risk cases of domestic abuse, stalking and honour based violence
- Identify dangerous and serial perpetrators
- Decide which cases should be referred to MARAC and what other support might be required
- Have a common tool across all agencies that are part of the MARAC process and provide a shared understanding of risk in relation to domestic abuse, stalking and harassment and ‘honour’-based violence
- Make defensible decisions based on the evidence from extensive research of cases, including domestic homicides, ‘near misses’ and lower level incidents.
- Bespoke training can be delivered on request.
Contact for all training laurarichardstraining@gmail.com
- The DASH (2009-2024) Model has been built on the existing good practice of the evidence based SPECSS+ Risk Identification, Assessment and Management Model. The SPECSS+ was previously ACPO compliant and had been evaluated numerous times. Victim and practitioner focus groups have also been run to ensure the language and format worked as best it could.
- The risk factors included are evidence based and drawn from extensive research and analysis by leading academics in the field into domestic homicides, ‘near misses’ and lower level incidents. The 11 questions on stalking were developed by Drs Lorraine Sheridan and Karl Roberts. The research base for each factor can be found in the practice guidance.

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WHO IS THIS CHECKLIST FOR?

If you are being abused, please ask yourself these questions. Once completed you can take it with you if you report it and meet with the police or any other professional.

If you are being stalked contact Paladin, National Stalking Advocacy Service
0203 866 4107 info@paladinservice.co.uk www.paladinservice.co.uk

You can call 24hr freephone National Domestic Violence Helpline (run by Refuge) which is available on 0808 2000 247 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

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ABOUT TRAINING

DASH was initially created for the police by those in the police service. However risk assessment and management is a multi-agency process and a shared language is needed which is why the DASH was evolved and developed to be used as a multi-agency tool. The DASH is a lifeline for many victims. The questions and answers are important, so too is the action that you take. Please ensure you are trained and accredited to use the DASH Risk Model.

The DASH training has been university accredited by the University of Brighton. It has received the ‘REQ’ kite mark – recognizing educational quality. If you were trained more than a year ago to use the DASH, you need refresher training.

Expert led masterclasses run by Laura which center the victim and focus on perpetrators.
For registration information mail LauraRichardsPA@gmail.com
2025 Training dates coming soon! Sign up for email notification here!
LO1 – Understand the dynamics of domestic abuse, stalking and so-called HBV.
1.1 – Describe some characteristics commonly held by perpetrators.
LO2 – Understand the human and financial cost of domestic abuse, stalking and HBV.
2.1 – Describe the impact that the behaviours have on victims’ lives.
LO3 – Be able to identify high-risk cases of domestic abuse, stalking and HBV.
3.1 – Explain the high risk factors.
3.2 – Describe risk and how to identify and manage risk in cases.
3.3 – Explain the DASH risk assessment model.
3.4 – Explain risk management in relation to victims.
LO4 – Be able to identify dangerous and serial perpetrators.
4.1 – Describe some characteristics commonly held by perpetrators.
4.2 – Describe the level of risk associated with dangerous and serial perpetrators.
LO5 – Be confident in making defensible decisions based on the evidence from extensive research of cases including domestic homicides, near misses and lower level incidents.
5.1 – Effectively carry out a DASH risk assessment in class.
LO6 – Deliver key training to others on how to use the DASH
Risk Model (2009-2022)
6.1 – Effectively carry out a DASH risk assessment in class
6.2 – Understand the key headlines to pass on to their own delegates.
LO7 – Demonstrate an ability to confidently use the DASH model in different settings
7.1 Understand that some staff may be completing risk identification
7.2. Understand some specialist staff will carry out a full risk assessment.
7.3. Explain settings may vary and some staff may complete the risk assessment on the telephone.
LO8 – To develop and understand group dynamics and management in a learning environment with participants from different professional backgrounds and abilities
8.1 Describe group dynamics and how best to facilitate the knowledge and information in a learning environment with representatives from different agencies.
8.2 Explain how to facilitate discussion to hear from all attendees present and check learning throughout day.
LO9 – To have comprehensive understanding of assessments methods learning how to support participants to understand the material
9.1 Practice and give feedback on others in presenting some of the material in small groups.
LO10 – By this stage the participant should be very familiar with the course material and delivery methods required
Peer reviewed assessment at the end of Day 2 to demonstrate learning and test understanding of all the course material throughout both days.
- All professionals working in the field of public protection including domestic abuse, stalking and harassment, honour based violence, safeguarding children, safeguarding vulnerable adults, missing persons, sexual violence, MARAC, MAPPA, mental health and homicide.
- The training is set within the wider context of public protection, using many cases studies. It includes a session on profiling the perpetrators and making the links across violent crime to prevent homicide.
If you are interested in attending any Online & Virtual DASH training, please email laurarichardspa@gmail.com

/ ABOUT TRAINING

Laura is an award winning criminal behavioural analyst, former New Scotland Yard and an international expert on domestic abuse, coercive control, stalking, sexual violence homicide and risk assessment.

Laura trained at New Scotland Yard and the FBI Behavioural Analysis Units and is an advocate for victims and an author, producer and podcaster. Laura has a BSc in Psychology and Sociology and an MSc in Forensic and Legal Psychology.

LAURA RICHARDS

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AWARDS

Head of Homicide Investigations Commendation, Commander Baker, January 7th, 2005

Head of Homicide Investigations Commendation Commander Baker, January 7th, 2005

Dod’s Charity Champions Award -National Charity of the Year June 27th, 2012

Commissioner’s Commendation, Sir Ian Blair, September 7th, 2005

Suzy Lamplugh Trust ‘Taking Stalking Seriously Award’, November 14th, 2012

Charity Times Campaigning Team of the Year Award October 18th, 2012

Commissioner Sir Ian Blair’s Letter, February 17th, 2005

Certificate of excellence from the 9th British Diversity Awards, 2003

“Laura's knowledge of the risks of Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Honour based violence, stalking and harassment is incredible, and her passion and enthusiasm for sharing her knowledge, and supporting victims and their families, whilst holding perpetrators to account is inspiring. I would recommend Laura's Masterclasses to anyone who works with the public in any capacity.”
“Laura is extremely interesting and an expert on her field. I always find it fascinating and an honour to listen to her”
“I now know that I have to review a number of cases as a matter of urgency”
“I loved the training on risk. I have had an extensive amount of training days during my time in Probation and that was by far the best”
“Laura’s insight and sharing of experience has been really helpful in giving understanding as to why we should be asking these questions”
“It’s so useful to hear so many case studies that relate to DASH and the importance of using it”
“All professionals should receive this training”
“Thank you so much Laura. Really informative and interesting. Also the fact you used real case studies brought it to life! Looking forward to the stalking session.”
“Amazing training, well presented and engaging throughout.”
“Brilliant training! Laura expertise and knowledge is outstanding. Her passion to support victims and promote protection and change is inspiring!”
“I will be encouraging all colleagues to attend future courses.”
“This has been the best training in this area I have attended and would highly recommend it to all to attend and gain a better perspective and understanding of DASH. Thank you Laura.”
“Thank you for being an excellent trainer - keeping us engaged in the materials and having such a wealth of knowledge on this subject matter.”
“Laura is an inspiration how she doesn't give in, in the face of all the misogyny within the police and criminal justice system is almost unfathomable. Now I know the power of biscuits.”
“Very good training course, informative and I now feel I have all the required information and details to support the staff I supervise and to facilitate training in the future.”
“Laura is a complete subject matter expert and you can tell she is super passionate and knowledgeable.”