Operation Encomass tries to address the cases of domestic abuse in children says Jill Truesdale
Alliance Councillor Jill Truesdale who sits on the Policing and Community Safety Partnership (Down PCSP) within Council has spoken of her deep concern over figures from the district released around Operation Encompass.
PCSPs are local bodies made up of Councillors and independent people from each council area who work to make your community safer.
They do this by focussing on the policing and community safety issues that matter most in your area. Operation Encompass is a police and education early-information, safeguarding partnership enabling schools to offer immediate support to children experiencing domestic abuse.xa0
Operation Encompass put into law a statutory obligation on police forces to share notifications with schools for young people to be safeguarded from the harms of domestic abuse. This improves early intervention and help vulnerable young people in schools.
Newry Mourne and Down District Support Hub have successfully Piloted Operation Encompass since September 2021.
At the recent Newry, Mourne and Down District Commanders’ Report to PCSP Policing Committee in January 2025, figures revealed the current provisional statistics for the new 2024/25 School Year (to 31st December 2024), that Police attended 308 Domestic Incidents where the Op Encompass criteria has been met and referred 598 children to Schools/Further Education Colleges, as they have been exposed to an Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE).
Police Support Hub Officers contact the Designated Teacher at the School attended by the child, so that they can monitor how the ACE has affected them and put in place measures to support the child.
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are extremely stressful, and possibly traumatic, events or situations that occur during childhood and/or adolescence.
It can be a single event, or protracted threats to, and breaches of, the young person’s safety, security, trust or bodily integrity.
A new study from Queens University Feb 2025 showed 60% of the adult population in NI are still impacted by childhood trauma.
The Justice Minister Naomi Long said: “The findings show clear correlation between higher exposure to trauma in childhood and many negative outcomes, including poorer educational achievement, chronic health conditions and increased exposure to domestic violence, addiction, poor mental health and health harming behaviours.”
Jill Truesdale added: “Childhood adversity and adult trauma costs NI £1.3bn a year. There is a very definite cyclical element to it and I highly commend this operation and the police officers behind every single one of these incidents but the statistics are shocking.
“These figures required a total of 408 referrals (phone calls) to Designated Teachers across our Schools / FEC’s / Training Providers in Newry, Mourne and Down, to ensure that Op Encompass is meeting its objectives.
“The local Support Hub Police Officers continue to liaise with PSNI Public Protection Branch colleagues and representatives from Education Authority and Partners.
“I would urge all teachers and school staff to go to the Operation Encompass website where you will see a dedicated FREExa0onlinexa0Key Adultxa0training packagexa0which is hosted byxa0Virtual College.
“This is available to all schools and educationxa0settingsxa0includingxa0early years’ settings and Healthxa0Visitors.xa0The training updates staff members’xa0knowledge ofxa0domestic abuse,xa0children as victims of domestic abuse, how Operation Encompass works inxa0principle and how staff can support children experiencing domestic abuse. T
“here is also a module about children with other vulnerabilities and children who are Missing from Home or Care.”
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