Operation Encompass Pilot Programme rolled out to another 77 schools across the Newry and South Armagh area. The programme which is already operational across the Downpatrick area, sees police sharing information with schools where there have been instances of domestic abuse involving a child. This will allow officers to pass on relevant information to the school the child attends to that the right support can be put in place.

Operation Encompass is a partnership between the Safeguarding Board of Northern Ireland, the PSNI, the EA and schools, aimed at supporting children who witness domestic abuse or violence in the home. If the police attend a domestic abuse call where children are present, they  ill contact the child’s school before 9am the next morning to share this information with their safeguarding team.

77 schools in Newry and South Armagh are joining the programme before it is rolled out across Northern Ireland, including schools of all types – Nursery, Primary, Post-Primary, Special, EOTAS, Irish Medium and Independent Christian.

With this programme, safeguarding staff in schools are well placed to meet the immediate needs of children who have witnessed an incident of domestic violence.

For more information on the programme and for resources: https://www.operationencompass.org/