Schools were informed of more than 5,500 incidents of domestic abuse across three months in Lancashire after the introduction of a new piece of government legislation.

Created at the end of 2010 by couple Elisabeth and David Carney-Haworth, Operation Encompass aimed to enable schools to be aware of incidents of domestic abuse and to establish early intervention to support children and young people.

It was brought into law in May this year, with police forces largely using the system previously for the last 14 years.

Through police providing a telephone call or notification to the school’s designated safeguarding officer before the start of the school day, the legislation ensures children are provided with the right support by staff.

By providing more information they help schools to better understand a child’s lived experience and therefore be able to support them better each day.

David said: “Sadly around 4,000 children across England and Wales experience domestic abuse every day.

“The bonus of Operation Encompass is that when they walk into school, they will receive some kind of support, it is not from social care or welfare support but from a trusted key adult in school.”

In June and July more than 1,900 reports were given to schools, informing them of needing to provide additional support to children, 1,945 and 1,906 each month, respectively.

Also, despite the summer holidays, August saw 1,735 reports given to schools.

A Lancashire County Council spokesperson said: "We are committed to supporting our partners at Lancashire Police in tackling the effect of domestic violence on school children.

 "Our schools have worked and will continue to work very closely with police to support this initiative, to improve outcomes and support all children across our region."

The initiative was created when Elisabeth was a headteacher at a nursery and junior school and she noticed changes in a student's behaviour with no information provided by the police or local authorities.

She found out months later from the education officer that domestic abuse had been occurring in the household, which could be pinpointed to the shift in the child's behaviour.

Alongside David, a police officer who worked in child protection, they birthed the idea that night and completely changed the landscape of information sharing.

David added: “That one story was typical of what has happened around the county, and it has changed the landscape of information sharing, that one incident was a catalyst for creating operation encompass.

“What was crucial is realising children are victims in their own right, and we achieved it in law as part of the domestic abuse act.

“Experiencing domestic abuse can have major effects not only when they are children but as they grow up into their adult life and early intervention can add to their journey of healing and that is the crucial bit of operation encompass.

“What we do want is for people to look at their child and their behaviours and not judge them for it.”

They also provide training, free of charge to all staff at schools and expect the safeguarding lead to be aware of the necessary procedures when provided with the information.

Elisabeth said: “It is important that staff don’t do something wrong with the information.

“For the 42 years I was a teacher you would find something out years later and you think if only someone had told us that and teachers using the information to make judgements in terms of understanding rather than a judgement and what we can do to support a child.”

But work is continuing for the pair who won’t stop until domestic abuse doesn’t exist.

Elisabeth added: “One of the straplines, for every force for every child wherever they live.

“I would love the day when it doesn’t exist and it will only happen when domestic abuse doesn’t exist and we don’t have to send notifications. Sadly I don’t think it will happen in our lifetimes.”

There are lots of ways to report domestic abuse, but in an emergency dial 999.

If you can not speak, you can press 55 to let the call handler know that it is an emergency and that you can not speak.

For more information about Domestic Abuse, what to do to help yourself and others, and the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (Clare’s Law), visit Lancashire Constabulary's website.