Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which police forces are yet to sign up to Operation Encompass.

Domestic abuse can lead to emotional, physical and psychological harm in victims including children. Operation Encompass aims to mitigate this harm by rapid provision of support within the school to safeguard children. Operation Encompass works by directly connecting the police with schools. When officers have attended a domestic abuse incident, police share the information with a school’s trained Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) before the start of the next school day, so that appropriate support can be given at the earliest possible opportunity.

The Home Office has provided funding to rollout Operation Encompass nationally, and together with the Department for Education has provided £194,360 in funding for a specialist Teacher’s Helpline during the pandemic. This helpline provides free access for teachers to confidential and immediate access to support and guidance from experienced clinical and educational psychologists

To date 41 forces have signed up to Operation Encompass, Bedfordshire and Avon & Somerset are yet to sign up.