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Operation Encompass is a safeguarding partnership between the police and schools designed to support children and young people who have experienced or been affected by domestic abuse. It ensures that relevant information is shared with the school early so that appropriate support can be offered to children.
Operation Encompass is a system that enables confidential, early information-sharing between the police and a child’s school when officers attend a domestic abuse incident involving a household where a child lives or is connected.
Before the start of the next school day, the school’s trained Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) — often called a Key Adult — receives a secure notification so the school can provide relevant support and care.
Domestic abuse can have a significant impact on children’s emotional wellbeing, behaviour, relationships and learning. It is recognised that exposure to domestic abuse — whether directly present at an incident or affected by living in a household where it occurs — can be traumatic and harmful.
Operation Encompass helps schools to:
Understand which pupils have recently experienced or been affected by domestic abuse.
Provide appropriate support the very next school day, tailored to the child’s needs.
Create a safe, supportive and understanding environment for the child and their learning.
This early intervention does not replace any safeguarding processes, such as referrals to children’s social care where required, but complements existing practice to help children cope and engage in school.
If a domestic abuse incident occurs in your home and the police are called, the school’s Key Adult will usually be informed before the next school day starts. This information enables the school to be ready to give sensitive support — for example by checking in with your child, offering reassurance, adjusting expectations for the day, or accessing further help if needed
It’s important to understand:
The notification focuses on ensuring support for the child, not on sharing details of the incident itself with school staff.
The school will respect confidentiality and use the information only to help support your child’s wellbeing and learning.
Operation Encompass is now a routine part of safeguarding practice in schools across England and Wales.
If you are a parent or carer concerned about how your child is coping, you should speak with the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead. They can work with you and your child to offer support or signpost further help where appropriate.
For general advice about supporting children affected by domestic abuse, external organisations such as the NSPCC offer guidance and helplines that families may find useful. (For example, NSPCC Helpline: 0808 800 5000 — not part of Operation Encompass but a national support resource.)