First reported 18 Nov 2020•Latest report 4 May 2026
Definition
What this concern includes
Includes failures in the named Clare's Law or Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme process, including understanding applicability, accepting and progressing applications, assessing disclosure relevance, referring cases for multi-agency consideration and making or communicating appropriate disclosure decisions.
Not included
Excludes generic domestic-abuse investigation, safeguarding, risk-assessment or safety-planning failures where the Clare's Law disclosure process is not the deficient control.
Excludes failures involving other police disclosure or notification schemes unless the assertion explicitly concerns Clare's Law or the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme.
Excludes failures in protective action after a Clare's Law disclosure has been reliably completed where the disclosure process itself was adequate.
Excludes generic police training, communication or policy deficiencies unless they directly impair the operation of the Clare's Law disclosure process.
Reports
2
Distinct published reports
Individual concerns
4
A report can raise multiple concerns
Date range
2020–2026
First to latest report issue date
Stated actions
6
Described in published responses
Reports over time
Reports over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
Home Office2
Bedfordshire Police1
Crown Prosecution Service1
Department of Health and Social Care1
Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership1
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust1
Greater Manchester Police1
Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust1
Trafford Borough Council1
Ministerial department2
Police force2
English metropolitan district council1
Health-system partnership1
NHS trust1
Non-ministerial department1
Concerns and responses across reports
Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.
Bedfordshire and Luton
Concerns raised3
Lack of clarity in DVDS Guidance about progression after intelligence checks and before disclosure decisions
Failure to correctly understand Clare's Law applicability to previous partners
Failure to progress Clare's Law applications through the DVDS decision-making stage and associated multi-agency referral
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
Action
Work with national safeguarding and police-conduct bodies to create a clearer, more consistent DVDS implementation framework, incorporating the issues raised.
Stated by Home OfficeStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 10 July 2026.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.6
Position
Multi-agency forum referrals are not mandatory for every DVDS case, although high-risk applications should always be referred.
Stated by Home OfficeDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Position
The former-partner DVDS application was assessed under the applicable framework, and non-disclosure resulted from intelligence findings and proportionality considerations, not misunderstanding.
Stated by Bedfordshire PoliceDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Position
The Home Office cannot comment on or intervene in individual police cases because police forces are independent of Government.
Stated by Home OfficeUnable to actThe respondent said that a constraint prevented them from taking the relevant action.
Position
Bedfordshire Police’s Chief Constable is responsible for addressing concerns about officers’ handling of the DVDS application.
Stated by Home OfficeRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Position
The DVDS applications were progressed through intelligence checks, supervisory review and formal decision-making, contrary to the concern that progression failed.
Stated by Bedfordshire PoliceDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Position
Ongoing safety planning for all DVDS cases should provide appropriate safeguarding support regardless of whether an application reaches decision-making.
Stated by Home OfficeExisting arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
Manchester South
Concerns raised1
Limited police recognition and use of Claire's Law in domestic abuse cases
This report raised 21 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.5
Action
Review Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme guidance with police, including process timelines, risk assessments and safety planning.
Stated by Home OfficeStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 24 December 2020.
Action
Place Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme guidance on a statutory footing through the Domestic Abuse Bill.
Stated by Home OfficeStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 24 December 2020.
Action
Revise the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme policy so safeguarding teams consider Clare’s Law on every domestic abuse incident and Detective Inspectors authorise disclosure wording.
Stated by Greater Manchester PoliceStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 24 December 2020.
Action
Introduce an iOPS marker recording Clare’s Law applications and whether a disclosure was made.
Stated by Greater Manchester PoliceStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 24 December 2020.
Action
Develop accompanying training material on the revised Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme policy and process.
Stated by Greater Manchester PoliceStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 24 December 2020.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Position
Other named respondents are responsible for addressing the coroner’s concerns; this response covers only broader learning-sharing issues within its remit.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care BoardRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
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Includes failures in the named Clare's Law or Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme process, including understanding applicability, accepting and progressing applications, assessing disclosure relevance, referring cases for multi-agency consideration and making or communicating appropriate disclosure decisions.
