What is Operation Encompass?

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

Gateshead Council, Northumbria Police and nominated Key Adults in school work together to make sure that Chopwell staff are made aware of an incident early enough to support learners whilst at school.

Why is it important?

Domestic abuse can take many forms such as:

• Control
• Physical Abuse
• Sexual Abuse
• Emotional Abuse & Intimidation
• Isolation
• Verbal Abuse: Coercion, Threats, & Blame
• Using Male Privilege
• Economic Abuse

We know that children witnessing this type of abuse are more likely to:

• become anxious or depressed
• have difficulty sleeping
• have nightmares or flashbacks
• be easily startled
• complain of physical symptoms such as tummy aches and may start to wet their bed
• have temper tantrums and problems with school
• behave as though they are much younger than they are
• become aggressive or they may internalize their distress and withdraw from other people
• have a lowered sense of self-worth
• Older children may begin to play truant, start to use alcohol or drugs, begin to self-harm by taking overdoses or cutting themselves or have an eating disorder

Children may also feel angry, guilty, insecure, alone, frightened, powerless or confused. They may have ambivalent feelings towards both the abuser and the non-abusing parent.

How does it  work?

Our Designated Safeguarding Lead Mrs Bruce is the key adult for Operation Encompass and has been trained in the role.

Each morning a police officer will review all domestic incidents that occur outside of school but which might have had an impact on a child. 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 here in school.

Once the report is received the staff in contact with those learners will then be in an informed position to support them in a way that is right for the child.

What are the next steps?

A member of staff will initially support the child in school. We will usually contact the parents to see if any support can be offered to the family in the form of  CAF/TAF this might by from Mrs Bruce or Marie Lane out Family Support worker.

The information is stores securely in children's safeguarding files. 

For more information about Operation Encompass, please contact your school or visit http://www.operationencompass.org/

If you feel you need help...

School operate an open door policy to all Parents. If you feel you are living in an abusive situation or are worried in anyway, see either Mrs Bruce or Marie Lane and we can signpost you to get help.