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Information Sharing and MARAM Reforms

Councils across Victoria provide essential early years services to our communities.

This webpage outlines how the Victorian government is progressing three interrelated reforms that are integral to reducing family violence and promoting child wellbeing and safety, and provides useful information, tools and resources for your council services.

MARAM Reforms and Information Sharing Schemes Video

Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management (MARAM) Framework

MARAM is a policy framework for organisations prescribed in assessing and managing family violence risk. The Framework sets out the responsibilities of different workforces in identifying, assessing and managing family violence risk across the family violence and broader service system. This Framework provides support for all services that come into contact with individuals and families experiencing family violence.

The Victorian Government provides a comprehensive structure to assist all early years' service providers in implementing MARAM.

The MARAM Framework landing page provides your organisation with the Framework and links to various resources, tools and templates.

Direct links to MARAM resources, tools and templates are available by clicking here:

MARAM Framework for Organisational Leaders

MARAM Framework / Tools

For Practitioners

Information Sharing Schemes

The Information Sharing Schemes enable Information Sharing Entities (ISEs) to access and share relevant information to promote the wellbeing or safety of children or to assess or manage family violence risk.

Many organisations already work together to do this. The Schemes have expanded legal permissions for professionals to share and request information from other professionals. This ensures that professionals working with children can gain a complete view of the children they work with, making it easier to identify wellbeing or safety needs earlier, and to act on them sooner.

The Schemes have been rolled out over two phases, commencing with Phase 1 in 2018 and Phase 2 in 2021.

Prescribed ISEs identified across both phases can be found at CISS and FVISS - who can share information.

Phase 1: Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme

Phase 1 (Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme - FVISS) commenced in September 2018, prescribing Information Sharing Entities (ISEs) primarily within secondary and tertiary services (such as Child Protection and Victoria Police), but also included Maternal Child Health (MCH) Services, directly linking it to Victorian councils.

This section provides support for organisations and services identified as Phase 1 ISEs.

The FVISS landing page provides your organisation with guidelines to the Scheme and links to various resources, tools and templates.

Direct links to FVISS resources, tools and templates are available by clicking here:

The Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme (FVISS) allows authorised services to collect, use and share relevant information to reduce family violence risk.

In 2018, the MAV received funding through the Department of Families Fairness and Housing to roll out Phase 1 of the Scheme to council managed MCH services, who were identified within the initial ISEs list.

The following resources includes those provided by the Department of Fairness Families and Housing and developed by the Municipal Association Victoria as part of the rollout of Phase 1: FVIS. These are relevant to council delivered and managed MCH services, who were included within the Phase 1 ISEs list.

Phase 2: Child Information Sharing Scheme

Phase 2 (Child Information Sharing Scheme - CISS) commenced in April 2021, prescribing ISEs in universal services across the education and health sectors (such as schools and public hospitals), but also included Victorian council kindergarten, supported playgroup and out of school hours care services.

This section provides support for organisations and services identified as Phase 2 ISEs.

The CISS landing page provides your organisation with guidelines to the Scheme and links to various resources, tools and templates.

Direct links to CISS resources, tools and templates are available by clicking here:

The Child Information Sharing Scheme (CISS) is in place for authorised services. Professionals working with children and young people can collect, use and share relevant information to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children, young people and their families.

In 2022, MAV received funding through the Department of Education and Training to deliver Phase 2 of the Scheme to council managed services included within the extended ISEs list.

The following resources provided by the Department of Education and Training support organisations responsible for the rollout of Phase 2: CISS. These are relevant to council delivered and managed early years services, who were included within the Phase 2 ISEs list.

MARAM and Information Sharing Schemes Training

Below is a list of training modules available:

  • Protecting Children Modules
    • Mandatory Reporting and Other Obligations Early Childhood
    • Education Workforces
    • Education Leaders
    • Education Professionals
    • Families, Fairness and Housing Workforces
    • Information Sharing Schemes Training for Department of Families, Fairness and Housing Staff
    • Family Violence Foundational Knowledge
    • MARAM Victim Survivor Brief and Intermediate
    • MARAM Victim Survivor Screening and Identification (DFFH)
    • Health Workforces
    • MARAM Victim Survivor Brief and Intermediate
    • MARAM Victim Survivor Screening and Identification (DFFH)
    • Maternal and Child Health
    • Antenatal MARAM Family Violence Screening and Response Module
    • Child Link.

MARAM and Information Sharing Scheme Key Contacts

Contact the Information Sharing and MARAM Enquiry Line for practice and policy guidance. Ph: 1800 549 646 (10am-2pm, Mon-Fri) or: