Operation Encompass

What is Operation Encompass?

In every force: Our aim is to ensure that schools have timely information about all police-attended incidents of domestic abuse, no matter where in the world the child lives.

In every school: Our aim is to enable staff in every school to understand how to support children who are experiencing domestic abuse, no matter where in the world the child lives. 

For every child: Our aim is to ensure all children experiencing domestic abuse receive timely support in their school, no matter where in the world the child lives. 

Operation Encompass is a police, local authority and education early information safeguarding partnership enabling schools to offer immediate support to children experiencing domestic abuse.

Operation Encompass ensures that there is a simple telephone call or notification to a school's trained Designated Safeguarding Lead (known as key adult) prior to the start of the next school day after an incident of police-attended domestic abuse where there are children related to either of the adult parties involved. 

Information is shared with a school's key adult (DSL) prior to the start of the next school day after officers have attended a domestic abuse incident. This sharing of information enables appropriate support to be given, dependent upon the needs and wishes of the child.

Children are negatively impacted by experiencing domestic abuse and, without early intervention and support, this negative impact can last through a child's life course. Domestic abuse can impact upon social, psychological, physical, emotional and behavioural outcomes with an often negative impact upon a child's academic success. Experiencing domestic abuse has been identified as an Adverse Childhood Experience.

Operation Encompass aims, by directly connecting police and schools, to secure better outcomes for children, to enable schools to better understand the impact living with domestic abuse has upon children, to help schools to better understand a child's lived experience and to therefore be able to support and nurture each child, making a child's day better and giving them a better tomorrow.

Our aim is to have Operation Encompass in every force, in every school, for every child, no matter where they live. It is simply every child's right. 

Home : Operation Encompass

Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse Support

Some national agencies have reported a significant increase in domestic abuse associated with the pandemic, and this follows the experience of other countries. We want to do everything we can to reduce the harm this can cause.

You can get expert support from Freeva by clicking  Free from Violence & Abuse | Support & Services | Freeva or calling their helpline on 0808 802 0028.

If you require any support, please contact any of our school DSLs on the school number 01664 434429 or by email.

Please look at the contact details below for helplines and support resources. No one should suffer in silence – we are here for you.

Finally, a reminder that anyone can contact Leicestershire County Council First Response if they have any concerns about a child’s safety and wellbeing. The telephone number is 0116 305 0005.

National helplines:

Domestic Violence Assist - Domestic Violence Assist | DV ASSIST

Women's Aid - Home - Women's Aid

Men's Advice Help - Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men | Men's Advice Line UK

National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Help - Galop - the LGBT+ anti-abuse charity

National Stalking Helpline - Pages | Suzy Lamplugh Trust

Victim Support - Home - Victim Support

School Nursing Service

As part of our safeguarding commitment, our school works closely with the Leicestershire Public Health School Nursing Service, provided through the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust. The school nursing team supports the health, wellbeing and safety of all children from 5 to 11 years of age in Leicestershire, offering an essential link between home, school and health services. [healthforkids.co.uk]

What the School Nursing Service Provides

The school nursing team plays a key role in promoting children’s physical, emotional and mental wellbeing. Their support includes:

• Health assessments and measurements, including the National Child Measurement Programme. [healthforkids.co.uk]
• Immunisation support, such as the nasal flu vaccination. [healthforkids.co.uk]
• Guidance on behaviour, continence, healthy lifestyles, emotional health, and parenting advice. [healthforkids.co.uk]
• Support during important transitions, including the move into school. [healthforu...er5s.co.uk]

As part of their safeguarding duties, school nurses contribute to the early identification of concerns and play an active role in multi‑agency safeguarding support.

Referrals to the School Nursing Team

Where concerns are raised by parents during discussions with the school, the school can make a referral to the School Nursing Service. This ensures that children and families receive timely support, guidance, and, where necessary, health‑based intervention from the public health nursing team. This aligns with the school nursing team’s safeguarding and early‑intervention role in supporting vulnerable children and families.

How Families Can Contact the School Nursing Team

Parents and carers can contact the school nursing team through several channels, including:

• ChatHealth – a confidential text messaging service for parents of children aged 0–11 in Leicestershire. [leicspart.nhs.uk]
• Healthy Together Helpline – 0300 300 3001, offering advice from public health nurses. [healthforkids.co.uk]
• Via the Health for Kids website, where you can also find a School Nurse Finder tool and child‑friendly health information. [healthforu...er5s.co.uk]

Further Support and Resources

Families can access a wide range of online materials to help support their child’s wellbeing, including guidance on health, feelings, illness, and preparing for school transitions. These resources are available on Health for Kids, Health for Under 5s, and related Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust websites.

Out of Hours Safeguarding

Please be aware that during the school holidays and times when the school is closed, you are still able to inform us of any child protection concerns you may have on the following email addresses: dsl@frisby.risemat.co.uk or cainge@frisby.risemat.co.uk

If you have an immediate concern and feel that a child is at risk of significant harm or danger, please contact the police.

You can also contact Leicestershire County Council Children's Social Care and Early Help, who will be able to offer further advice and guidance. They can be contacted on 0116 305 8727 and more information is available at Help for children and families | Leicestershire County Council.

Please see the links below of national services that may be able to support you during the school holidays.

YoungMinds | Mental Health Charity For Children And Young People | YoungMinds

Shelter - The housing and homelessness charity - Shelter England

Turning Point Homepage

Getting help for domestic violence and abuse - NHS

Home - Women's Aid

Find a food bank | Trussell

Online Safety

Here you can find a range of links to help you to keep your child safe when online. If you require any further support, or have any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the school. 

• DfE Guidance on Online Safety This guidance outlines resources to help keep children safe from different risks online and where to go to receive support and advice.

• Thinkuknow Provides advice from the National Crime Agency (NCA) on staying safe online. Games and activities are available for children of all ages.

• Childnet A useful toolkit to support parents and carers of children of any age to start discussions about their online life, to set boundaries around online behaviour and technology use, and to find out where to get more help and support.

• Connect Safely A collection of short, clearly written guidebooks that demystify apps, services and platforms popular with kids, however most of these shouldn't be accessed by children under 13 years old.

• Internet Matters Provides age-specific online safety checklists, guides on how to set parental controls on a range of devices, and a host of practical tips to help children get the most out of their digital world.

• Let's Talk About It Advice for parents and carers to keep children safe from online radicalisation.

• London Grid for Learning Provides support for parents and carers to keep their children safe online, including tips to keep primary aged children safe online.

• Net Aware Support for parents and carers from the NSPCC, including a guide to social networks, apps and games.

• Parent info A collaboration between Parentzone and the NCA providing support and guidance for parents from leading experts and organisations.

• UK Safer Internet Centre Tips, advice, guides and other resources to help keep children safe online, including parental controls offered by home internet providers and safety tools on social networks and other online services.

• Report harmful content online If you've experienced or witnessed harm online, Report Harmful Content can help you to report harmful content online by providing up to date information on community standards and direct links to the correct reporting facilities across multiple platforms

Using Tik Tok Safely

More and more children are now using Tik Tok. make sure you know how to keep your child safe if they are using this: 

• Parental Guide to Tik Tok
• Tik Tok App Safety

NSPCC PANTS Rule

As part of our commitment to keeping children safe, we promote the NSPCC PANTS Rule, a simple, age‑appropriate way to help children understand that their body belongs to them and that they can speak up about anything that makes them feel worried or uncomfortable. The PANTS message is supported by the NSPCC’s friendly character Pantosaurus, helping children learn these key principles in a safe and non‑scary way. [nspcc.org.uk]

The PANTS rule teaches five important messages:

P – Privates are private – Children learn that the parts of the body covered by underwear are private. No one should ask to see or touch them, except in certain medical or care situations where an adult should always explain why and ask permission first.

A – Always remember your body belongs to you – Children are encouraged to understand that they are in control of their body. No one has the right to make them feel uncomfortable, and they can say no at any time.

N – No means no – Children are taught that they can say no—even to someone they know and love. Their feelings matter, and they should never feel pressured into anything that makes them uneasy.

T – Talk about secrets that upset you – Children learn the difference between good secrets (like surprises) and bad secrets that make them feel sad, worried or frightened. They should always talk to a trusted adult about anything that feels wrong. 

S – Speak up, someone can help – Children are encouraged to talk to a safe adult—such as a parent, teacher or other trusted person—if they ever feel scared, worried or unsure about something. Talking should never get them into trouble. 

The PANTS rule is designed to empower children, build confidence and support open conversations about safety. It forms a valuable part of our safeguarding approach in school and complements our wider work to help children recognise unsafe situations and seek help when needed. Additional child‑friendly resources, teaching materials and guides for families are available through the NSPCC.

Mental Health Support in Leicestershire Schools

Supporting the emotional wellbeing and mental health of our pupils is an important part of our safeguarding work. Across Leicestershire, a wide range of specialist services are available to help children, young people and families access the right support at the right time.

Healthy Together (0-11) and School Nursing Services

Healthy Together provides universal emotional health and wellbeing support through school nurses and public health practitioners. They offer guidance on behaviour, emotional health concerns, and general wellbeing. Parents and carers can contact the Healthy Together team directly using ChatHealth, a secure and confidential text service for families of children aged 0–11 in Leicestershire and Rutland.

ChatHealth number: 07520 615382

A public health nurse will respond within 24 hours (Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm, excluding bank holidays).

Additional local mental health support

We may also refer or signpost families to wider support services, including:

Central Access Point (CAP): A 24/7 helpline providing immediate mental health advice, signposting and urgent support for people of all ages in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

Phone: 0808 800 3302

Kooth: Free, safe, online counselling and emotional wellbeing support for young people aged 11–25. Accessible without referral.

Website: www.kooth.com

Educational Psychology Helpline (LEPS): Available via school referral to support parents/carers with emotional, behavioural and wellbeing concerns.

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is an illegal and extremely harmful practice and is recognised in the UK as a form of child abuse and violence against women and girls. Schools have a legal and moral duty to safeguard pupils who may be at risk. 

What is FGM?

FGM refers to all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or any other injury to the female genital organs for non‑medical reasons. It is usually carried out on girls between infancy and age 15, most commonly before puberty. There are four types of FGM, ranging from partial removal of genital tissue to procedures that narrow the vaginal opening or cause injury through cutting, pricking, burning or scraping. All forms are illegal in the UK.

The Law and Mandatory Reporting

FGM is a criminal offence in the UK. It is illegal to:

perform FGM

take a girl abroad to undergo FGM

assist a girl in performing FGM on herself

Teachers and regulated professionals have a mandatory duty to report to the police if they discover that FGM has been carried out on a girl under 18. Schools must follow the statutory government guidance Multi‑agency statutory guidance on female genital mutilation.

Recognising Risks and Indicators

FGM is often carried out during school holidays, particularly the summer break, to allow time for recovery. Signs a pupil may be at risk include:

Talk of a “special procedure” or a long holiday abroad

Fear or anxiety about an upcoming trip

Extended time away from school

Health Consequences of FGM

FGM can cause severe and long‑lasting physical and emotional damage, including:

Severe pain and infection

Difficulty passing urine

Long‑term mental health difficulties

Complications during childbirth

In some cases, death

School Responsibilities

All our staff are trained to:

Recognise girls who may be at risk

Know how and when to report concerns

Respond sensitively, using trauma‑informed and survivor‑led approaches.

Schools must follow safeguarding procedures and share concerns with multi‑agency partners, including Children’s Social Care and the police where appropriate.

Support and Advice

Parents, carers and young people can access confidential support if they are worried about FGM.

NSPCC FGM Helpline

Phone: 0800 028 3550

Email: fgm.help@nspcc.org.uk
Available Monday–Friday 8am–8pm and weekends 9am–6pm.

If a child is in immediate danger, always call 999.