Operation Encompass
Operation Encompass ensures that a notification is sent to a school’s trained Designated Safeguarding Lead /Officer or Key Adult prior to the start of the next school day after the police have attended a domestic abuse incident where there are children related to either of the adult parties involved.
There is a whole host of information on the national website.
What are we doing locally within the Bradford District?
Operation Encompass is an Early Intervention safeguarding partnership which supports children and young people who are victims of domestic abuse (under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, a child who sees, hears or experiences abuse is now recognised as a victim).
We need to ensure that all parties involved engage effectively in the Operation Encompass process and that the system works to better enable a supportive and emotionally connected response within the school environment. In simple terms, we need to make the next day better for any child who is a victim of domestic abuse.
How it works
West Yorkshire Police provide a daily download to Bradford Council’s contact centre of all domestic abuse incidents where a child was present.
This information is then used by the contact staff to identify which school needs to be informed. The notification is then submitted to the identified school and key person(s), usually the DSL or head via e-mail.
This notification supports the provision of immediate early intervention usually before the start of the school day and through silent or overt support dependent upon the needs and wishes of the child/young person.
Operation Encompass also enables key agencies to gather, triage and identify appropriate safeguarding pathways for children and their families to seek timely support. It complements existing safeguarding procedures.
What we have in Bradford
- Bradford Schools = 204 (includes PRU’s, Special Schools, Academies, Free and LA Mainstream – any setting working within the remit of the Council)
- Independent schools = 23
- Approximately up to 200 notifications with regards child victims of domestic abuse are shared in the Bradford District per week.
Approximately 200 of our Bradford District children every week are victims of domestic abuse. What does this actually mean? If a child is present in a house where domestic abuse is happening, it is entirely possible that they are seeing, hearing and feeling the stresses and tensions that often come with this sort of conflict. Even if they are not present, often these verbal and or physical tensions still exist long after an event has occurred.
We know that domestic abuse can have a really significant impact on children, putting at risk their emotional wellbeing, physical development , and their chance of forming happy, healthy relationships. Some children may be excluded from school because of their challenging behaviours or have frequent absences which impacts on their academic success and their ability to concentrate which could impact employability in adulthood.
Early intervention and a safe secure environment within school is paramount in supporting and disrupting the damage caused.
Although some schools across our District receive domestic abuse notifications, we have taken a localities pilot approach with 2 schools in Bradford West who are going through the Operation Encompass process from beginning to end. Once this work has been completed further primary and secondary schools will be brought into the project. This will allow us to shape how operation encompass can have the most impact in schools and for children in our district. will create a fluid programme of work for other schools wanting to further enhance existing practices or to join Operation Encompass.
An essential part of the learning from our pilot scheme will shape a robust checklist for schools who become involved in Operation Encompass This will ensure a consistent and quality focussed approach and further embed each school’s commitment in making the next day better for any child, any victim across our District.
“My role is to bring all the partnerships and processes involved within the Operation Encompass world together and make sure that they work to protect children impacted by domestic abuse. This is in line with Bradford Council’s priorities of a great start and good schools for all our children and better health, better lives.”