Operation Encompass

In conjunction with Merseyside Police, Ursuline is involved in a national initiative called “Operation Encompass”.  The purpose of Operation Encompass is to safeguard and support children and young people who have been involved in, heard or witnessed a domestic abuse incident.

Following an incident, children will often arrive at school distressed, upset, worried and unprepared.  Operation Encompass aims to ensure that appropriate school staff are made aware early enough to help and support children and young people in a way that means they feel safe and included.

This is a valuable initiative that means we can help and support students and their families within our school when they need us most.

You can find out more information by visiting the Operation Encompass website (click the button below) or by contacting Mrs Robinson or Mrs Chai at school.

What is Operation Encompass?

Past serious case reviews, including the tragic case involving Daniel Pelka, have identified a failure in agencies sharing information with schools relating to domestic abuse. Operation Encompass has been used in a number of areas with success. Further information can be found at: www.operationencompass.org

Operation Encompass is an initiative between the Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCB’s), with support from the Complex Dependency Programme.

Its purpose is to safeguard and support children and young people where a domestic incident has been reported from their home. Following such an incident, children will often arrive at school distressed, upset and unprepared. Operation Encompass will ensure that appropriate school staffs are made aware early enough to support children and young people in a way that means they feel safe supported and listened to.

How will it work?

Schools identify a 'Key Adult' and in most schools this is the existing Senior Designated Person for Safeguarding.  All Key Adults have attended training specific to the role in preparation for Operation Encompass.

Each morning a locally-based Police Officer from the Integrated Referral Unit (IRU) will review all violent or abusive incidents that would indicate domestic abuse. In incidents where children are living at the home and aged between 4 and 18 years old, the school that the child or young person attends will be contacted by telephone and information will be passed to a designated “Key Adult” in the school.  The staff in contact with those pupils will then be in an informed position to support them in a way that is right for that particular child or young person, either with silent or overt support.