Hundreds of schools have signed up to a pioneering initiative to support pupils whose lives are blighted by domestic violence.
Operation Encompass is led by Cheshire Police and will see school staff informed when officers get called to a domestic incident involving one of their pupils. This will help ensure the young person gets the care and support they need.
About 500 schools, nurseries and colleges are set to be covered by the Complex Dependency Programme across Cheshire, Halton and Warrington.
Children and young people who have experienced domestic violence can face both long and short-term cognitive, behavioural and emotional effects and having a trusted adult to turn to, away from the family setting, can play a key support role.
By informing schools of any incidents that police officers are called to, Operation Encompass ensures that should a child come to school and for example not want to let go of their teddy bear, or arrive without the appropriate uniform or books, that there is a level of understanding and support already in place.
Cheshire Chief Constable Simon Byrne , who opened the official launch event, said: “It is vital that we invest in the long-term welfare of the most vulnerable children in Cheshire. Only by protecting young people from the impact of domestic abuse in the home can we hope to break the cycle of this devastating and destructive crime.”
The Complex Dependency Model is a sub-regional programme awarded £5.2 million from Government to build on what is already in place to establish a new, integrated, joined-up model across agencies and services that tackle the causes of crisis for children, families and individuals across a range of related and complex issues.
The programmes’ partner organisations include councils across the county including Cheshire West and Chester , Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service , Clinical Commissioning Groups, NHS England, National Probation Trust and Cheshire and Greater Manchester Community Rehabilitation Company.
Ali Stathers Tracey, director of the Complex Dependency Model, said: “Operation Encompass is a prime example of partners working together to not only support children who may not have anyone to talk to about what they are experiencing at home but to really raise the issue of domestic violence in a social arena and on a local level.”
Cheshire Police currently receives more than 1000 calls a month relating to alleged domestic violence and abuse.
