Dear Parent/Carer
Our school has been given the opportunity to take part in a new pilot project that will run in partnership between Cumbria County Council, Cumbria’s Local Children’s Safeguarding Hub and Cumbria Police.
The pilot shall be running in all primary and secondary schools in Workington, and also in West Cumbria Learning Centre, from Monday 27 February 2017 to Friday 14 July 2017.
The project, Operation Encompass, has been designed to provide early reporting to schools of domestic abuse incidents that occur outside of school hours which might have an impact on a child attending school the following day. The information will be shared on school days during the school term and, when incidents occur on a Friday, Saturday or a Sunday, Steph Mulhall, the Designated Officer in the Safeguarding Hub, will contact the relevant school the following Monday.
A nominated member of school staff, known as a Key Adult, has been trained to liaise with Steph Mulhall, in the case of Workington Academy this is Mrs G.K. Creighton. School staff will be able to use information that has been shared with them, in confidence, to ensure that the school is able to make provision for possible difficulties experienced by children or their families. Information will be shared, on a ‘need-to-know’ basis only, where it is identified that a child or young person was present, witnessed or involved in a domestic abuse incident.
Operation Encompass was introduced in Plymouth, Devon and Cornwall, in February 2011 and has proved to be very effective in providing appropriate support in a timely manner. If you would like to read more about the project in other areas of the country, this can be viewed online at http://www.operationencompass.org/.
We are keen to offer the best possible responses for all pupils and believe that Operation Encompass is going to be beneficial and supportive for all those involved.
Yours sincerely
G.K. Creighton
Designated Safeguarding Lead and Operation Encompass Key Adult
