Schools in Preston have signed up to a new scheme with Lancashire Police to help children affected by domestic abuse.

Operation Encompass has been set up to provide early reporting when children have witnessed or been involved in an incident outside school hours.

Advertisements

Every mainstream school, college and academy in the city has signed up to the scheme, in partnership with the police and community health agencies.

Police will notify the school, before 9am, when they have attended a domestic abuse incident where a child or young person was present.

Read more: Children need to be protected from domestic abuse by law

Schools will be able to use the information provided to them to ensure support is in place for children when they go to school.

Information will be shared on a ‘need to know’ basis – for example if a child is likely to be upset or distracted, their class teacher may be informed.

A spokesman for Operation Encompass said: “Children experiencing domestic abuse are negatively impacted by this exposure.

“Domestic abuse has been identified as an Adverse Childhood Experience and can lead to emotional, physical and psychological harm.

“Operation Encompass aims to mitigate this harm by enabling immediate support, making a child’s day better and giving them a better tomorrow.”

For more information on Operation Encompass, visit their website.