Our school is part of Operation Encompass, a national initiative that supports children and families by informing schools if the Police have been called to a residence for:

• domestic abuse or violence
• drugs raids
• missing children.

The Police will inform school that an incident has taken place and which children were associated with the address.

The communication will come to Mrs Gilchrist, the school's Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) or the deputy DSLs (Deputy Heads) in her absence. The communication would usually happen the day after any incident.

This timely communication allows the school to provide compassionate, tailored support to children. It means that we can offer a safe space, understanding and appropriate pastoral care to help children affected to feel secure and able to learn. For families, it ensures that we are able to work alongside you, with sensitivity, offering reassurance and help from trained staff who understand the challenges you may be facing.

In practice, we will inform the teacher of the operation encompass call and the teacher will then discretely check how the child is feeling.  Support, including sessions with the school's Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) can be provided, and the child will be reminded about who they can talk to in school.

The operation encompass call will be logged on the school's CPOMs safeguarding system and monitoring will continue as necessary. Referrals to The Family Wellbeing Service or other agencies, may also be made.