Operation Encompass
The principles of Operation Encompass are very simple and easy to adopt. Within every school a trained Key Adult is appointed – the Key Adult receives information about abusive incidents directly from the police. In our school, this key adult is Mrs. Blacoe. The Key Adult will be notified prior to the start of the next school day that the police have attended an incident of domestic abuse to which a child has been exposed. This timely knowledge enables a plan for appropriate support to be made for that child so that all interactions, from when the child first arrives at the school gates, are of a positive nature.
The Key Adult must be a trained Designated or Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead and should attend a mandatory police and education led Operation Encompass briefing. They are then able to cascade this training to their school Governors and all staff, creating an awareness throughout their school of Operation Encompass, how it mitigates the effects of domestic abuse, and its broader consequent benefits. They can also communicate the school's Operation Encompass participation to the broader school community and stakeholders, for example by placing information on the school's website, in its prospectus, and by sending the joint police/school letter to parents.
Operation Encompass is an integral component in child safeguarding. Within Operation Encompass, all records are managed at Child Protection level with the highest level of security and confidentiality, and in full accordance with GDPR.
