Operation Encompass

What is Operation Encompass?

The purpose of Operation Encompass is to safeguard and support children and young people who have been involved in a domestic abuse incident. Following an incident at home, children may arrive at school distressed, upset or unprepared for the day.

Lancashire County Council, Lancashire Police and nominated Key Adults in school will be working together to make sure that Albany Academy staff are made aware of an incident early enough to support learners whilst at school.

Why is Operation Encompass being introduced in Lancashire?

Operation Encompass was initially launched in Plymouth in February 2011 to address a shortcoming in the early sharing of information with schools. A number of pilots followed across the UK, reporting positive outcomes for many children and young people.

Lancashire County Council, Lancashire Police and all schools in the county are taking part in the scheme, to help provide additional new support which will benefit children and young people across Lancashire and improve multi-agency sharing of information.

How will it work?

Mr Thorne (Assistant Headteacher) will be known as the Key Adult for Operation Encompass

Each morning a police officer will review all domestic abuse incidents that occur outside of school which might have had an impact on a child attending school the following day. Where children were present, witnessed or involved in a domestic abuse incident and aged between 4 and 16 years old, the officer will send this information to the Council’s Initial Contact and Referral Team who will then send this information in a secure format to the named Key Adult at Albany. Mr Thorne will check his alerts every day and the staff in contact with those pupils will then be in an informed position to support them in a way that is right for the child.

This information will be shared on school days during school term and when incidents occur on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday or over a holiday period, the police will contact the Council the following Monday.

Operation Encompass launched in Lancashire on 29th April 2019. For more information about Operation Encompass, please contact Albany or visit www.operationencompass.org.

Allegations of Abuse

We take allegations of abuse very seriously. Our behaviour policy sets out our approach to dealing with abuse between children and Life Studies curriculum educates children in how to cope with difficult situations and how people should behave. We have well trained staff who all deal with allegations professionally.