As part of St St Brendan’s RC Primary School commitment to keeping children safe we are committed to supporting children, young people and families experiencing domestic abuse.

We sign up to Operation Encompass (OE) and provide Domestic Abuse support in the following ways:

• Work in partnership with the local authority, voluntary and community services
• Provide tailored support to any student including counselling, mentoring, and monitor their attainment
• Listen to the voice and wishes of the student who has experienced domestic abuse seeing them as victims
• Follow up Non-attendance and contact home when a student may be absent having received an OE alert
• Liaise with Social Workers if the student is known to the service
• Undertake the Early Help assessment where appropriate
• Track and highlight pupils on our data systems
• Recognise that Students may be abused in intimate relationships
• Alert the DSL and Family Support Officer who will then manage any referrals to other services for advice, guidance and further specialist support, such as Fortalice. These may also be within community settings
• Provide appropriate data and information to our Governors and to the Local Authority
• Ensure our RSHE curriculum focuses on safe relationships
• Include Domestic Abuse and its impact in our key safeguarding policies
• Provide appropriate training to staff to be aware of the impact of Domestic Abuse
• Work with the Police to ensure the timeliness of alerts being received to minimise any delays
• Provide appropriate challenge with agencies
• Gain consent and keep the student (where appropriate) and Parent/carer informed on action we take
• Liaise with the key Domestic Abuse agencies in Bolton and the wider agencies as needed

Further information, advice and guidance can be found here:

National Domestic Abuse Helpline:
Freephone 24-Hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247

Website: www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk (access live chat Monday – Friday, 3pm – 10pm)