Operation Encompass is an innovative project which Lincolnshire Police is running in partnership with local schools. The project aims to safeguard and support children who are affected by domestic abuse.
What is Operation Encompass?
The project aims to safeguard and support children and young people who are involved in or affected by incidents involving domestic abuse.
Witnessing domestic abuse is really distressing for a young person, 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 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.
How does Operation Encompass work?
Following an incident of domestic abuse in the home, children will often arrive at school upset and unprepared. Operation Encompass aims to ensure that appropriate school staff are made aware of the incident early enough to support children in the best way possible.
After we receive a report of abuse in which children were present in the home or usually reside there, brief information will be shared with the school directly from Lincolnshire Police. This information will be handled by the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead within the school. This ensures support can be provided as quickly as possible and children can feel safe and listened to.
Each Designated Safeguarding Lead has been fully trained to liaise with the Police and Children’s Services. They are able to ensure the right support is made available to the child following the disclosure of a domestic abuse incident.
Police will share information with the Designated Safeguarding Lead. The school will be informed that there was an incident and the name of the child. No further information will be given at this point.
What should the school do with this information?
By knowing that the child has had this experience, the school is in a better position to be supportive and understanding of the child’s needs and possible behaviours. The Designated Safeguarding Lead will share this information on a need to know basis only.
