Operation Encompass (CIO) Trustees' Annual Report Year ending 31 March 2026 Charity registration number: 1169147 ## Operation Encompass Trustees' Annual Report Year Ending 31st March 2026 Prepared by David Carney-Haworth OBE Trustees' Details Richard Marsh Camilla Southworth Carl Eve Janet Tyler Dr Annemarie Millar Elisabeth Carney-Haworth OBE David Carney-Haworth OBE Principal Office: Westbourne House Westbourne Terrace Saltash PL12 6BX Charity Registration Number 1169147 During a recent period of reflection I took some time to read though some of my previous Trustees' Annual Reports. As I did so I couldn’t help but think that we have come so far. The journey has not been linear, far from it, but having a clear focus has led us to where we are today. When Elisabeth and I created Operation Encompass in 2010 we instinctively knew that what we were doing was the right thing to do, but what we did not realise was the profound impact that Operation Encompass would have on so many lives. In 2016, to support Operation Encompass the scheme, we created ‘Operation Encompass’ the charity, which continues to run on an entirely voluntary basis. It is evident that for most charities the Trustees' Annual Report focuses on successes measured largely on their monetary value and somehow the bigger the monetary assets the more successful they think they are. _“School would be a kind of freedom”_ For Operation Encompass success is not measured in pounds but in the protection, understanding, support and nurture provided to children who have experienced domestic abuse. There has been so much happening since my last Trustees' Annual Report both in scale and significance, reflecting a period of sustained activity, national recognition and the national impact of Operation Encompass in ensuring child victims of domestic abuse are seen, supported and effectively safeguarded. _For clarity, references throughout this report to the work of Operation Encompass and 'we' relate directly to the founders of the scheme and charity, David Carney-Haworth OBE and Elisabeth Carney-Haworth OBE. Operation Encompass remains synonymous with both of us and reflects our continuing voluntary commitment to safeguarding children._ On the 7th November 2025 the Statutory Instrument placing Operation Encompass into law came into effect. Albeit quietly, one of the most important pieces of legislation for child victims of domestic abuse, Operation Encompass, it became a Legal Duty on all police forces to share 1 . Operation Encompass information with educational settings The significance cannot be overstated. It represents one of the most important developments in the world of child safeguarding and Domestic Abuse. However, there was no great fanfare, there was no handshake with the Prime Minister, there was no mention at Prime Minister’s Questions and no national headlines. Operation Encompass has never been a sensational story, but it has always been a heart-breaking and important story. Operation Encompass changed the landscape of information sharing when created in 2010, now 16years later, our groundbreaking scheme has been placed into legislation in England and Wales, joining Northern Ireland, and Gibraltar and will soon see the legative introduction in the Republic of Ireland. _“Just another Bloody Domestic”_ 1. Home Office Statutory Guidance Police forces in England and Wales now have a statutory duty placed on them to share Operation Encompass notifications with a child’s school or educational setting whenever the police attend an incident of domestic abuse linked to a child’s household. An Operation Encompass notification must be made for **every** child connected to the household – including children who were not physically present during the incident and those living elsewhere, temporarily or permanently. Prior to this new legislation Operation Encompass has been in place in all 43 police forces on a voluntary basis. Placing Operation Encompass on a statutory footing is a vital milestone for children experiencing domestic abuse, recognising the harm that domestic abuse causes, as one child victim said; **“It’s the fear you feel all the time”** In England and Wales alone, there are over **2000** Operation Encompass notifications sent each day to the trained safeguarding leads in our educational settings, notifications that enable the child to be given immediate and ongoing support, nurture and understanding. _"She’d cry out, begging him to stop. I’d lie there, feeling sick”_ The statutory duty was accompanied by official guidance and ministerial support. The Ministerial Foreword to the statutory guidance was written by Jess Phillips MP, who recognised the significance of Operation Encompass and the work undertaken since its creation. The foreword acknowledges that children who see, hear or experience domestic abuse are victims in their own right and emphasises the importance of ensuring that schools are able to respond quickly and effectively when children are affected by domestic abuse. The minister also recognised the role played by David and Elisabeth in creating and developing Operation Encompass; _‘I am grateful to David and Elisabeth for their unwavering commitment and vision in establishing Operation Encompass laying the foundation for this statutory duty’_ The Home Office commissioned an Evaluation into Operation Encompass, named ‘Process Evaluation of Operation Encompass’ which was published on the same day as the legal duty was commenced. ## Key findings: OE was seen as making a positive contribution to the safeguarding of children, with police, schools, and local authority services being highly supportive. Other key findings were: - where OE was delivered as intended, safeguarding staff and teachers saw OE notifications as improving their awareness of children affected by domestic abuse - the notifications were seen as particularly important where they helped identify recurrent incidents and informed the schools’ engagement with children’s social care services - there was a consensus amongst police and school staff that OE facilitated faster information-sharing compared with previous arrangements - school staff said specific details in the notifications enabled them to provide an appropriate and timely response - matched notification and social care data suggested that children affected by domestic abuse were more vulnerable and disadvantaged than their peers; in addition, a substantial proportion ( **50% to 70%** in 6 areas) may not otherwise have been identified by children’s social care services; **this is indicative of the value of the scheme** ## Expansion of Operation Encompass to Early Years settings All stakeholders interviewed supported wider adoption of EY OE: - EY OE was thought to **increase awareness of children aged 4 and under** affected by domestic abuse and enable timelier information-sharing and earlier intervention - health visitors, nursery managers, and LA EY practitioners reported that EY OE increased their awareness of children affected by domestic abuse; this was supported by the health visitor child health records analysis; the analysis found that in **62% of the EY OE notifications** examined in 3 areas, there was no prior record of domestic abuse - senior police officers, health visitor service leads and LA EY leads reported **new and effective** working relationships; these included new multi-agency EY OE partnerships that had not previously existed A major highlight for Operation Encompass was the citing of the research in the International Handbook of Child Protection: Laws, Rights, Practices. 2026 titled: ‘One of the “puzzle pieces”: Embedding Operation Encompass in a whole-school culture of care for children experiencing domestic abuse. Sarah Ralph-Lane, Assistant Professor School of Humanities and Social Sciences Northumbria University and Amanda McBride, Associate Professor School of Communities and Education Northumbria University. During this reporting period we have continued to work closely with a range of government departments, commissioners, policing bodies and parliamentary groups to support the safeguarding of children affected by domestic abuse. In response to the Public Accounts Committee call for evidence relating to the Government’s strategy on violence against women and girls, we submitted written evidence highlighting the importance of recognising and supporting children who experience domestic abuse. We expressed our view that we had given considerable thought as to the value of submitting evidence to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) as it often feels as though the larger organisations with multiple staff and significant budgets have the ear of and influence over the Government. On the 16th May the Government published its report: ‘Committee of Public Accounts: Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls.’ We were pleased to see that the Committee took notice of our submission and cited it in the report. ## Operation Encompass continues to be a prominent feature in government policy. We met with Justin Russell, ‘Director General of Families Group’, **Department for Education** . We shared with Justin the daily impact Operation Encompass is having on the lives of children experiencing domestic abuse and other trauma. We also shared with him the vital work of school staff day in day out to support these children. A short time after our meeting Justin Russell gave oral evidence at a House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts, regarding the Government’s Violence against Women and Girl’s Strategy. It was of interest to us that Justin mentioned Operation Encompass as a scheme that the DfE fully supports. This view was supported by Richard Clarke, Director General, Safer Streets, Home Office, who also gave evidence at the Committee. In April we met with the Early Years team at the **Department for Education** . During this meeting we discussed the Operation Encompass model and in particular the free national online training available for safeguarding professionals. As a result of that meeting and our presentation, the team subsequently featured Operation Encompass in the May edition of the Foundation Years newsletter, the Department for Education’s principal communication channel with Early Years providers across England. Operation Encompass is also represented within the **Department for Education** working group considering the development of statutory guidance relating to information sharing and proposals for the introduction of a unique single identifier for children within safeguarding systems. We are part of the 'Trusted Readers’ developing the strategy. During the reporting period we were also invited to London to meet with the Education **Minister Josh MacAlister at the Department for Education** to discuss the ongoing development and national impact of Operation Encompass. We were ‘Trusted Readers’ for the Home Office during the development of the Operation Encompass statutory guidance. We continue to work closely with all police forces across England and Wales, supporting the implementation of Operation Encompass and advising on operational practice. This includes assisting forces with the development of standard operating procedures and participating in a number of police force oversight groups. In March we met with the team of the Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales, who informed us that the Commissioner had completed a report in which Operation Encompass was heavily referenced. We were later invited to the launch of the report at the House of Commons, which took place on 29 April. We have also been working with the Ministry of Justice regarding opportunities to strengthen information sharing between prisons and safeguarding systems where children may be affected by domestic abuse. Following this engagement we received a letter of thanks from **Lord Timpson,** Minister of State for Justice, which included the following observation: _“Finally, I would like to thank you for your continued dedication to improving the lives of vulnerable children. We are aware of the profound impact and success of Operation Encompass and are grateful for your continued support and collaboration.”_ In March we were invited to attend the House of Lords to provide oral evidence to the Scrutiny Committee inquiry examining the provisions relating to children as victims in the Post-legislative scrutiny of Domestic Abuse Act 2021. Internationally, we have also met with the Ministry of Justice in the Republic of Ireland, where we continue to support the government in exploring the development and implementation of Operation Encompass. During this 12 month period we have also provided bespoke online virtual training to hundreds of professionals including: Together with Northumbria University researchers (those responsible for the research; All Jumbled Up) we have developed a research package which looks at the before and after ‘knowledge’ of Domestic Abuse of the whole staff at a very large Multi Academy Trust who will be surveyed before and after completing the free Operation Encompass online Training. This will involve all of the staff in all of the schools in this MAT. The research will then be used to lobby nationally that all school staff complete the training. In June we each received a Chief Constable’s Commendation for our work with Merseyside Police. - The Ministry of Defence Armed Forces Tri Service Teams - A ‘Voice of the Child’ themed presentation to whole school staff, Psychologists and other professionals. - Early Years team, childminders and setting staff several areas of the country. - All Brighton University student teachers have completed the online Operation Encompass training, and this has now been rolled out to an additional six ITT Providers. - All students undertaking their Childcare qualification at Newcastle College have completed the online Operation Encompass training. ## Operation Encompass Key Adult Training As of 15th March 2026 the Operation Encompass National free on-line ‘Key Adult’ Training has been completed by over 56,500 professionals, When we created the training in mid 2020, it was valued at £150. This means that, as of today’s date, 15th March 2016, we have provided what equates to **£8,475,000** worth of free online training. ## Operation Encompass Key Adult Training Feedback: _‘This course is both informative and thought provoking. I t is well structured and gives clear guidance of expectations. Whilst we already do many of the aspects outline which is reassuring there is always something new to reflect on and consider. Elements of this training will be cascaded down to other staff members in our school as it is beneficial to all.’_ _‘Vital information to enable adults to support the well being of children and young people. It should be mandatory that everyone who works with children and young people do this course.’_ _‘I do not work in a school however, I am studying Mental Health Nursing and Social work. I have found this training session a useful tool in helping me to understand Operation Encompass and its importance to early intervention for children.’_ _‘Information was easy to follow. Great tips about what schools can do to help children involved. Essential for any school leader.’_ _‘This was very interesting even if sad that so many experience such hardships. Design was excellent, engaging and informative.’_ We are thrilled that the Spanish composer Jan Uve, has released ‘For Every Child’, a theme on Operation Encompass it is on YouTube, Spotify etc. From Jan’s website, I quote: ## _WHEN THE PIANO SAYS: ‘YOU ARE NOT ALONE’_ I’m very pleased to present For Every Child, my new piano composition. Without a doubt, it’s one of the most emotional and heartfelt pieces I’ve ever written. Through this music, I wanted to reflect the emotional journey of a child growing up in an environment marked by domestic abuse, from fear and confusion to hope, light and love. Every note is meant to give voice to what so often goes unspoken. To me, this piece is a musical embrace, one that understands, that gently holds, and that carries a vital message: “I see you. I understand you. You matter. You are loved.” ## The story behind the music: I didn’t know about Operation Encompass until one day I received a message that deeply moved me. They introduced themselves and asked if I would be interested in composing a piece of music that could represent their mission and the incredible work they do for children living with domestic abuse. Operation Encompass is a UK-based organisation with a simple yet powerful goal: to ensure that when a child has been exposed to a domestic abuse incident, their school is informed before the start of the next school day. This allows teachers to offer immediate emotional support with empathy, understanding, and care. I gladly said yes. Creating this music was, for me, a way to honour those children, and also to honour the quiet yet transformative work of the people who protect and support them. That’s how For Every Child was born. A piece written from the soul, to remind us all that every child has the right to feel safe, to be seen, understood, and loved. Operation Encompass’ motto says it all: _“Every child has the right to be nurtured, supported and to feel safe.”_ Letter dated 29th October 2025 ## Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls ## Dear Elisabeth and David, I want to take this opportunity to personally thank you both for your unwavering dedication to protecting and supporting children affected by domestic abuse. Your work has been instrumental in ensuring that children are not only recognised as victims in their own right within the law, but that this is also embedded in frontline practice. Since the founding of Operation Encompass in 2010 and successfully securing voluntary delivery across all 43 police forces, you have played a crucial role in ensuring that children are no longer overlooked in the response to domestic abuse. Rooted in your own invaluable experience, you have created a vital link between policing and education which has protected and supported countless children. I am grateful for your consistent support of the Government’s mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade, of which protecting young people, children and babies is a fundamental part. Thank you again for everything you have done, and continue to do, to support and protect children. Yours sincerely, ## Jess Phillips MP Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls We have made significant progress, and I am grateful for your support in helping the government prepare for the commencement of the statutory duty in November 2025. Operation Encompass becoming a statutory duty on policing is a major milestone in ensuring that each and every child who experiences domestic abuse is recognised as a victim in their own right. Policy and communications officials will be in touch in the coming weeks to discuss proposals for your involvement in the announcement of the duty’s commencement. ## Final Reflection As I come to the end of this report, I return to the words of the child quoted earlier in this report; “School would be a kind of freedom.” For many children living with domestic abuse, school is the one place where they feel seen, understood and safe. The simple act of ensuring that a trusted adult in school knows that a child may have had a difficult night can make an immeasurable difference. The placing of Operation Encompass into legislation represents a significant milestone. What began in 2010 as a simple safeguarding scheme has now become a national duty embedded within the safeguarding framework. Yet 16 years on the purpose remains unchanged. Operation Encompass exists so that when a child walks through the school gates after experiencing Domestic Abuse, someone will already know and will be there ready to support, love and nurture. They deserve nothing less. David Carney-Haworth OBE ## Chairs of Trustees This has been a year of profound significance for Operation Encompass. What began as a simple response to safeguarding has now been placed on a statutory footing, firmly embedding the scheme within the national response to Violence Against Women and Girls. That this has been achieved through sustained voluntary endeavour is both remarkable and deeply commendable. The impact of Operation Encompass is now felt daily in schools across the country, ensuring that children experiencing domestic abuse are recognised, supported and safeguarded. The Trustees pay tribute to David and Elisabeth whose unwavering commitment continues to shape and strengthen the protection offered to some of the most vulnerable children in our society. ## Reference and Administrative Details ## Objects and aims The objects of Operation Encompass (OE) are the relief of child victims of domestic abuse through the timely sharing of information. In particular but not exclusively by: - - (a) the creation and delivery of Operation Encompass National Key Adult training for school staff, health visitors, child minders, early years setting staff and police officers; - (b) liaising with education establishments, police authorities and other agencies; - (c) seeking to form partnerships with other charities and organisations which deliver mutual and complimentary benefits; - (d) providing support and information and, where necessary advocacy, guidance and mentoring to Key Adults and teaching staff; - (e) providing assured education and training to Key Adults with after care support; and by The trustees confirm that they have complied with the requirements of section 4 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission for England and Wales. ## Grant making policies The Charity is not in a position to make grants and is unlikely to do so in the foreseeable future. ## Use of volunteers The Charity does not have a body of volunteers other than the Trustees. ## Financial review At the year end the Charity retained £7,727.63 in the bank account ## Policy on reserves The charity has a low level of recurring fixed costs with no staff costs and therefore does not need to hold a high level of reserves. The charity has an allocated reserve of £1,000 to maintain sufficient funds for the annual insurance premium. - (f) retaining full accreditation rights to Operation Encompass in furtherance of the above charitable purpose for the public benefit. ## Public benefit OE has continued to engage extensively through briefings, media events and Police Force/Key Adult training days. The free National Operation Encompass Key Adult Training has been completed by over 56,5000 professionals with a value of over 8 million pounds. There are regular meetings with government departments including, the Home Office, Department for Education, Ministry of Justice and many other professional organisations to promote the charity across the UK and internationally. ## Principal funding sources Income from donations, fundraising and grants totalling £4,788.00 was received. All financial risk is currently assessed as low as there is no immediate requirement to directly support beneficiaries financially or through the sale/purchase of goods, services or real estate. To that end where there is funding below the forecast requirement the impact will be translated to a slower delivery rate. Whilst this might be frustrating it does not threaten the existence of the charity providing that there is evidence of progress; which there is. The principal risk facing the charity and delivery of its objects is once the capital outlay for the premium website and supporting database has been set up, the ongoing revenue cost to maintain the progress of the website and the other work of the charity. The charity is always seeking opportunities for additional grant funding. ## Structure, governance and management Nature of governing document ## Constitution Document. Charitable Incorporated Organisation (Foundation Structure) - whose only voting members are its Trustees. ## Recruitment and appointment of trustees New Trustees may be recruited to the Board at any time by the Trustees. In selecting individuals for appointment as Trustees, the Trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the charity. ## Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities The trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees’ report and the financial statements in accordance with the United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice) and applicable law and regulations. The law applicable to charities requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to: - select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; - observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP; - make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; - state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and - prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business. The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008, and the provisions of the constitution. The trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charity’s website. Legislation governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements. ## Going concern Operation Encompass is a going concern and will continue in operation for the foreseeable future. There are no concerns about the future needs for the charity nor are there any material uncertainties. The Trustees’ annual report is consistent with this conclusion and the Trustees’ view is that Operation Encompass is a going concern. Financial Summary for the Year Ended 31 March 2026 The annual report was approved by the trustees of the charity. ## Richard Marsh Richard Marsh, Trustee Document created by Elisabeth Carney-Haworth OBE David Carney-Haworth OBE www.operationencompass.org