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<< Operation Encompass

What are the school’s responsibilities under Operation Encompass, and does it change existing school policies and procedures?

As a participating school, the school leadership team is responsible for putting local arrangements in place to receive and manage Operation Encompass notifications.

This includes:

• identifying two nominated staff members to receive notifications from An Garda Síochána
• ensuring notifications are managed confidentially
• ensuring information is shared on a need-to-be-aware basis
• ensuring the schools has arrangements in place to respond, where appropriate, through the school's existing wellbeing procedures.

Operation Encompass is an additional notification process. It does not replace or change existing school policies, procedures or responsibilities for supporting children and young people.

Who should be the nominated school contacts and what happens if they are unavailable?

Each participating school identifies two nominated staff members to receive Operation Encompass notifications from An Garda Síochána and provides their contact details as part of the agreed pilot arrangements. Typically, these nominated staff members will be the Principal and Deputy Principal.

Notifications will only be provided to these nominated staff members. If one nominated staff member is unavailable, the notification will be provided to the second nominated staff member to ensure continuity of the notification process.

The nominated staff members manage notifications in line with the school's agreed Operation Encompass procedures, including maintaining confidentiality and sharing information on a need-to-be-aware basis.

Important: Schools have flexibility to appoint their existing Designated Liaison Person or the Deputy Designated Liaison Person as their Nominated School Contact for Operation Encompass. However the functions of these roles should be treated as distinct from each other.

How are Operation Encompass notifications received?

During the Operation Encompass Drogheda Pilot, notifications are provided by telephone by a member of the An Garda Síochána Family Safety and Support Unit to one of the school's nominated staff members.

Schools should ensure that arrangements are in place for nominated staff members to receive these calls promptly and in a confidential setting where the conversation cannot be overheard by other staff, pupils or visitors.

Following the call, notifications should be managed in line with the school's agreed Operation Encompass procedures.

What information is included in an Operation Encompass notification

Schools receive a limited notification from An Garda Síochána confirming that:

• An Garda Síochána attended a domestic abuse incident; and that
• the child or young person was present during the incident or habitually resides at the location where the incident occurred.
• If the child or young person was present/absent during the incident.

The notification does not include:

• details of the domestic abuse incident;
• details of any criminal investigation;
• information about the people involved; or
• any assessment of the incident.

Its purpose is to provide the school with timely awareness so that it can respond, where appropriate, through its existing wellbeing procedures.

How should Operation Encompass notifications be recorded?

Each participating school should ensure that Operation Encompass notifications are recorded and managed in line with the school's agreed Operation Encompass procedures, data protection requirements and records management policies.

A supporting Operation Encompass notification record template is provided to participating schools to assist with consistent recording of notification details.

Access to Operation Encompass records should be restricted to authorised staff members with responsibility for managing Operation Encompass notifications.

What communication should be shared with school staff about Operation Encompass Drogheda Pilot?

Schools should ensure that relevant staff understand:

• the purpose of Operation Encompass;
• how the notification process operates within the school;
• the roles and responsibilities of nominated staff members; and
• how the school will respond, where appropriate, through its existing wellbeing procedures.

Information about individual Operation Encompass notifications should only be shared on a need-to-know basis, where appropriate, and in accordance with the school's agreed Operation Encompass procedures.

Does Operation Encompass require changes to our existing child wellbeing procedures?

No. Operation Encompass builds on the school's existing child wellbeing procedures and does not change the school's existing safeguarding responsibilities.

Participating schools should continue to follow their existing child wellbeing policies and procedures when responding, where appropriate, to the needs of a child or young person.

Operation Encompass provides schools with timely awareness that a child or young person may have been affected by domestic abuse. It supports the school's existing child wellbeing arrangements and does not replace or change them.

Does receipt of an Operation Encompass notification change the school’s responsibilities in relation to Tusla?

No. Receiving an Operation Encompass notification does not, in itself, require a referral to Tusla.

Operation Encompass is a separate notification process that provides the school with timely awareness that a child or young person may have been affected by domestic abuse.

If the school has concerns about a child or young person's safety or wellbeing, it should continue to follow its existing procedures, including making a referral to Tusla where appropriate.

How should schools respond to an Operation Encompass notification?

Each participating school should respond to Operation Encompass notifications in accordance with its agreed Operation Encompass procedures.

While the core principles of Operation Encompass are consistent across all participating schools, each school has the flexibility to determine how it responds within its own setting, taking account of its existing child wellbeing procedures, school structures and the individual needs and circumstances of the child or young person.

Schools should ensure that appropriate local arrangements are in place so notifications can be managed consistently and appropriately when received.

Schools should not investigate the domestic abuse incident, seek additional information from the child or young person, or question them about the circumstances that gave rise to the notification. The purpose of the notification is to support the school's understanding of the child's circumstances, not to initiate enquiries or establish the facts of the incident.

Will Operation Encompass notifications be received outside normal school hours?

No. During the Operation Encompass Drogheda Pilot, notifications will be provided to participating schools during normal school hours. Where a domestic abuse incident occurs outside school hours, An Garda Síochána will provide the notification to the nominated school contact during the next available school day.

Schools are not required to provide an out-of-hours notification arrangement for the pilot.

Where can I access guidance and who do I contact if I need support or advice?

Participating schools should refer to the Operation Encompass guidance materials and supporting documentation provided as part of the pilot in the first instance.

If further advice or clarification is required, schools should raise queries through the agreed Operation Encompass pilot contact arrangements.

This will help ensure that consistent advice and guidance is provided across all participating schools.