Operation Encompass is a process by which “Key Adults” in schools and academies are informed that a child attending school in Cumbria, may have been affected by domestic abuse. This will usually mean that a child has been in the household where an incident of domestic abuse has taken place, or has been exposed to domestic abuse.
The police have received funding for 12 months to support Operation Encompass and this process is now countywide. In the first instance, Sandra Glassford, the Designated Officer for Operation Encompass, will attempt to contact the Key Adult via a phone call, at the earliest opportunity, after the police have shared the information securely.
This information is also passed to, shared with, and screened by a Detective Sergeant within Cumbria Police and where required a Contact is made to the Children’s Safeguarding Hub. The sharing of information between the police and schools will allow early intervention support by the Key Adult. This support, which may be covert or silent, will assist the child to remain in school to continue learning in a safe and secure environment. If Sandra Glassford has not successfully spoken to a Key Adult before 11.00am she will send the information to a secure email address at the school.
On these occasions school colleagues are asked to feedback what action they have taken as a result of receiving the information. This is requested to assist the evaluation of the project at the end of the academic year. Police colleagues in the Domestic Abuse Section have, and will continue to be in touch with, all of the Key Adults in schools and academies across Cumbria, to confirm these secure email addresses.
Overwhelmingly the feedback from schools to date is that they feel the scheme has been beneficial to them, the children and their families, in destigmatising the issue, encouraging engagement with the school, and identifying need at an earlier stage

For further details please contact : Sandra Glassford, Designated Operation Encompass Officer (Cumbria Constabulary)
Email: operationencompass@cumbria.pnn.police.uk
Telephone: 101 ext 44276
website: http://www.cumbria.police.uk