Operation Encompass
Operation Encompass the Next Steps aims to form part of a wider strategy to break the cycle of Domestic Abuse through Education and support.
Epinay Business and Enterprise School is an Operation Encompass School which means it directly connects the police with school, to ensure children and young adults, are safeguarded and receive appropriate support if they are living with domestic abuse in their homes. Epinay Business and Enterprise School will be notified if the police have attended an incident of Domestic Abuse. In doing so, school staff and outside agencies can work effectively together within the school environment to safeguard children and young adults against the short, medium and long term effects of domestic abuse.
What Happens?
Operation Encompass ensures there is a simple phone call or notification via a secure email, to a school’s trained Key adult Designated Safeguard Lead/Deputy Designated Safeguard Lead (L Murphy/C Rue), before a child arrives in school. The call or notification is triggered by police recently attending the child’s home or being involved in a domestic abuse incident that the child has experienced. When the child or young person arrives in school the DSL will ensure appropriate support is provided, dependent on the child or young person’s needs and wishes.
Why is this necessary?
Witnessing domestic abuse is really distressing for a child or young adult, who can often see the abuse, hear it from another room, see a parent’s injuries or distress afterwards or be physically hurt trying to stop the abuse.
Following such an incident, children and young adults will often arrive at school upset and unprepared. Operation Encompass aims to ensure that appropriate school staff are made aware early enough to support children in the best way possible.
Children and young adults experiencing domestic abuse are negatively impacted by this exposure; domestic abuse has been identified as an Adverse Childhood Experience and can lead to emotional, physical and psychological harm. Operation Encompass aims to mitigate this harm by enabling immediate support, making a child’s day better and giving them a better tomorrow.
Northumbria Police Commitment
Northumbria Police is committed to working in partnership, to safeguard and protect children, and to providing the best possible care and support.
Further information
If you’re a parent, carer or partner you can also find out more information through accessing the following website: https://www.operationencompass.org/
If you feel that you are in danger then you should telephone and talk to the police using 999.
Key School contacts are
- Designated lead: L Murphy
- Deputy lead : C Rue
- Multi-Agency Key Worker : R Jopling
The above contacts will liaise with both the police and social services. The key staff will ensure the right support is available to the child or young adult following the disclosure of a domestic abuse incident. All information received will be shared on a need to know basis.