Operation Encompass
Our school is participating in the Operation Encompass partnership scheme, between local schools, academies, colleges, community health agencies and Lancashire Police.
Operation Encompass was set up to provide early reporting to schools etc., about any domestic abuse incidents that occur outside of school hours to which the young person attending our school has been exposed, and which might then have an impact on their schooling the following day. This information will be shared throughout the year, including school holidays and weekends.
Information will only be shared with the school by the police where it is identified that a young person was present, witnessed or was involved in a domestic abuse incident.
A nominated member of staff, known as an Encompass Key Adult, has been trained to liaise with the police. Here at Brownedge St Mary’s, this is Mrs Watson who is our Intervention Manager and one of the school’s Designated Safeguarding Leads. She will be able to use the information that has been shared with her, in confidence, to ensure that the school is able to make provision for possible difficulties experienced by children or their families. The Key Adult will keep this information confidential, and will only share it on a need to know basis, for instance, to teaching staff of the child or young person. It will not be shared with other school students.
Operation Encompass was first introduced in Plymouth in February 2011, and has proved very effective in providing appropriate and timely support to young people affected by domestic abuse. This initiative has been implemented across the whole of the Lancashire Police area. If you would like some more information about it, you can view it online at www.operationencompass.org.
We are keen to offer the best support possible to our pupils and a recent review of operation Encompass showed that it is beneficial and supportive to all those involved.
