Guidance

The right to choose: government guidance on forced marriage

This document comprises statutory guidance for heads of safeguarding organisations, and non-statutory guidance for front-line professionals, on forced marriage.

• From: Home Office and Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
• Published: 21 March 2022
• Last updated: 13 April 2023 — See all updates

Documents

Multi-agency statutory guidance for dealing with forced marriage and multi-agency practice guidelines: Handling cases of forced marriage (accessible version)

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Multi-agency statutory guidance for dealing with forced marriage and multi-agency practice guidelines: Handling cases of forced marriage

PDF, 1.13 MB, 159 pages

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Canllawiau statudol amlasiantaethol ar gyfer trin priodas dan orfod a Chanllawiau ymarfer amlasiantaethol: Trin achosion o briodas dan orfod (accessible version)

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Canllawiau statudol amlasiantaethol ar gyfer trin priodas dan orfod a Chanllawiau ymarfer amlasiantaethol: Trin achosion o briodas dan orfod

PDF, 1.1 MB, 164 pages

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The right to choose: what services and organisations should do to help people at risk of forced marriage (easy read version)

PDF, 3.72 MB, 10 pages

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If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email alternativeformats@homeoffice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

This document comprises:

• statutory guidance on forced marriage for all persons and bodies who exercise public functions in relation to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults
• multi-agency practice guidelines on handling cases of forced marriage, for front line workers, including:
  • health professionals
  • educational staff
  • police
  • children’s social care
  • adult social services
  • local authority housing staff
  • registrars
  • staff working at the UK border

The 2 documents were previously separate and are now combined here, but only the first part of the document is statutory guidance.

You can also see videos of the guidance in British Sign Language.

Published 21 March 2022

Last updated 13 April 2023 + show all updates

1. 13 April 2023

   Updated the contents pages for Multi-agency statutory guidance for dealing with forced marriage and Multi-agency practice guidelines: Handling cases of forced marriage documents in English and Welsh.

2. 27 March 2023

   Welsh version: translated the paragraphs in section 6 that were in English.

3. 27 February 2023

   Updated to the latest version of the guidance.

4. 28 July 2022

   Added link to British Sign Language version of guidance.

5. 13 June 2022

   Added Welsh accessible version of guidance.

6. 6 May 2022

   Added easy read and Welsh versions of guidance.

7. 21 March 2022

   First published.