The notifications have been paused in Bristol due to cessation of funding. The last date notification was processed was 31st March 2024. 

We will update colleagues as and when this position changes. 

We encourage those setting who can access the Think Family App to check this on a daily basis for flags. 

 

 

 

 

Police Safeguarding Notifications

Bristol’s police safeguarding notification process is the local equivalent of Operation Encompass. It enables us to ensure that education settings can identify and proactively support children that are at risk of harm through adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). The process is especially geared towards supporting those families where there are incidents of domestic abuse as we recognise that domestic abuse is complex, hidden and requires a multi-agency approach to which information sharing is key. 

The Safeguarding in Education Team processes notification of incidents sent to us by the police’s Lighthouse Safeguarding Unit (LSU) and ensures that the information contained is shared with the setting of any children mentioned in a timely manner.

The information shared belongs to the police and is subject to strict Data Protection requirements. To be able to receive and access police safeguarding notifications you must complete the briefing.

Legal and statutory framework

The information is provided to settings in compliance with The Children Act 2004 (which informs statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children and Keeping Children Safe in Education), Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR.  

Unlawful use of the information to discriminate and or breach the rights of children and families (in line with the Equality Act 2010 and the Human Rights Act 1998) will be dealt with under the Local Authority's duty under s.175 of the Education Act 2002. 

Local Safeguarding Partnership Requirements 

• You must be trained to Designated Safeguarding Lead level to be able to access notifications as they hold very sensitive information.
• We require at least 2 people in each setting to be trained to receive notifications. 
• If your setting requires notifications to be sent to a generic safeguarding account for your setting you must ensure that ALL staff who can access these have completed the two conditions above. 
• The information shared belongs to Avon and Somerset Constabulary and is used to promote the safety, welfare and educational outcomes of the children they relate to. To use the information for other purposes can be unlawful. 

Daily Incident Review Meeting (DIRM)

The Daily Incident Review Meeting (DIRM) meets daily to discuss domestic incidents with linked children that are rated high or medium risk; as well as any child safeguarding concerns that have occurred in the last 24 hours. They are attended by the Police, Social Care, Next Link, Education and an IDVA.

To ensure that schools can support the children discussed in a timely manner the Safeguarding in Education team will send a brief notification to the setting of any children discussed to make them aware that an incident has occurred. This will be followed up as soon as possible with full details of the incident.

All DIRM notifications are subject to the same requirements as police safeguarding notifications and for an individual to receive them, they must have completed the Police Safeguarding Notification Briefing.

Think Family Education App. 

This is a new initiative which supports 'alerts' to be received by the schools as soon as the system has been updated from the police. This is an automated process which allows for schools who support children of statutory school age and who share attendance data with the Local Authority. This is to ensure compliance with strict data protection requirements. 

Alerts only indicate whether a child has been mentioned in relation to a safeguarding incident. The information is limited and prompt a welfare conversation. 

For more information about the app please visit the webpage here.