The Home Office and the Department for Education (DfE) are working together on this recommendation. Some elements are already complete, and DfE expect to complete the remaining work by September 2026. Progress and next steps:
- In November 2025, Home Office introduced a statutory duty on policing to notify a child's educational setting when they have attended a domestic abuse incident, regardless of whether the child was present. This scheme is known as Operation Encompass.
- The accompanying statutory guidance makes it clear that notifications must be issued, regardless of whether the child resides in a local area that the attending police force does not operate in.
- The scheme is implemented across all 43 police forces in England and Wales, and Home Office is monitoring the implementation with the National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection (NCVPP).
- The statutory duty applies to domestic abuse incidents only.
- In relation to other harm types, DfE has established a new information-sharing duty through the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026. This makes it clear that information must be shared where it is relevant to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, providing a clear legal requirement for safeguarding partners to act decisively and collaboratively. It will commence in September 2026, with a consultation on draft statutory guidance open until 14 July.