All Leicester Schools have become part of a new safeguarding initiative, which aims to improve outcomes for children and families affected by domestic violence and abuse.

This scheme has been designed to provide early reporting to schools of any domestic abuse incidents that might have an impact on a child that attends their school. The approach, known as Operation Encompass is used in a number of other places across the UK and is run in partnership with Leicester City Council and Leicestershire Police.

Operation Encompass ensures there is a simple phone call or notification, to a trained member of school staff, before a child arrives in school. The call or notification is triggered by police recently attending the child’s home or being involved in a domestic abuse incident, that the child has experienced.

This has been introduced because domestic abuse in a household can have a big impact on children, even if they do not see what is happening.

This information will be used to ensure the school is able to provide appropriate support to our pupils. The information will remain confidential and only shared on a strictly need-to-know basis, for example with the class teacher. It will not be shared with any pupils.

If you would like to speak to someone in confidence about domestic abuse, call the Leicester, Leicestershire& Rutland Domestic Abuse Helpline on:  0800 802 0028

or visit: https://www.leicester.gov.uk/your-community/emergencies-safety-and-crime/domestic-and-sexual-abuse/

We look to offer the best support possible for our pupils and believe that this scheme is going to be beneficial and supportive for all those involved. In other areas of the country where it is in place it has been found to be a very effective way of supporting children at a most difficult time.