In accordance with the Police and Crime Commissioner Vera Baird’s Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, Operation Encompass has been initiated in Northumbria Police to promote the value of early interventions in schools.

In Gateshead, Operation Encompass is part of the wider Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) that has recently been established within Gateshead Council to support       vulnerable persons.

The process commenced on 01 April 2015 and all eighty seven schools in Gateshead are participating in Operation Encompass. The process is to be rolled out to the rest of the Northumbria Police area very soon.

All School Key Adults have undertaken Operation Encompass training and are extremely positive about this exchange of information which is assisting them greatly in providing tailored support to children, young people and their families. One Key Adult Commented “I must say I think that this is a great operation as it keeps us well informed and it gives me a great understanding of the children and families I work with.”

Detective Constable Gill Menzies was asked to implement Operation Encompass across Gateshead, in conjunction with Gateshead Council Safer Communities.   DC Menzies says “We are improving the way we share information every day and this is a simple yet effective example of how that information can greatly help in ensuring the continued welfare of children and young people.”