Scottish Government has launched a consultation on draft statutory guidance for Domestic Homicide and Suicide Reviews, due to come into force on Wednesday 1 April 2026. The guidance will set out how reviews are established, conducted and reported, and will be relevant to many third sector organisations involved in safeguarding, prevention and support.

The consultation opened in December 2025, and runs until 11:50pm on Wednesday 11 February 2026. A series of online engagement sessions will also take place in January and February 2026 to explain the guidance and answer questions, ahead of submitting consultation responses.

Final guidance is expected to be published in early March 2026.

Submit Your Response

To submit your response, or for further information on the draft guidance, please visit the Scottish Government consultation hub (linked for your convenience).

Online Engagement Sessions

Upcoming online engagement sessions will take place on (all linked to booking pages below for your convenience):

Engagement Session 1 – Establishing a Review

Engagement Session 2 – Conducting a Review

Engagement Session 3 – Reporting, Publishing and Dissemination

Further Information

For further information, including any questions about the consultation or online events, please contact Vicky Carmichael at the Violence Against Women and Girls Justice Unit, by email: Vicky.Carmichael@gov.scot