Our Foundational Commitment to Child Safety: Operation Encompass at The Wilnecote School
Here at The Wilnecote School, we are committed to the safety of our pupils through the Operation Encompass partnership, a crucial scheme that has been embedded in our safeguarding procedures for several years. We view this as a foundational element of our practice, ensuring we consistently meet the highest standards under Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidelines.
Operation Encompass is a crucial communication link that operates between our school’s Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) and Staffordshire Police. It guarantees that when a child has been present during an incident of domestic abuse reported to the police, we receive a confidential notification before the start of the next school day.
Prioritising the Child’s Wellbeing
Domestic abuse is recognised as an Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) that can severely impact a young person’s mental health, behaviour, and ability to learn. With Operation Encompass firmly established in our daily routine, we ensure we never have to wait for a child to find the courage or the words to disclose a traumatic event.
Instead, our trained staff are immediately aware. This timely information allows us to implement early intervention and support, ensuring that the child is met with understanding and compassion the moment they walk through our gates. This might involve adjusting expectations for their learning day, offering a quiet space for reflection, or providing supportive care without any need for direct discussion or disclosure.
Mr Simpson, Assistant Headteacher and Safeguarding Lead, highlighted how essential this ongoing partnership is to the school’s daily operation:
“As the Safeguarding Lead, I can confirm that our team is absolutely dedicated to the long-term well-being of every student. Operation Encompass is an integral part of our daily practice, and more importantly, it is an indispensable tool that ensures our support is immediate and tailored. We use this protocol daily to make sure that the day after a difficult night is as safe, calm, and nurturing as possible for that child. It is a vital part of the trust and safety we work to build within our community.”
A Seamless System of Care
This robust framework, which we have operated successfully for years, ensures that every child at The Wilnecote School who may be vulnerable is recognised and supported without delay. Our consistent execution of this scheme underpins our entire safeguarding strategy, strengthening the safety net for all our pupils.
We want parents and carers to be confident that their child’s welfare remains our paramount concern, and that our staff are fully trained and committed to executing this essential partnership with professionalism and care.