Prevent is one strand of the Government’s counter terrorism strategy. It is about safeguarding vulnerable people from being drawn into terrorism.
Prevent is delivered in partnership with a wide range of organisations including the Council and the Police. It acts to safeguard people who are vulnerable to radicalisation in a similar way to safeguarding processes designed to protect people from gang activity, physical/sexual abuse and bullying.
Prevent is aimed at supporting people before they become drawn into any criminal activity.
The 2011 Prevent strategy defines extremism as “Vocal or active opposition to fundamental values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. We [the Government] also include in our definition of extremism calls for the death of members of our armed forces, whether in this country or overseas.”
No single factor [whether foreign policy or ideology] is enough to cause someone to join a terrorist group or support terrorism. There is no single pathway to radicalisation or way of predicting who might become radicalised.
Factors may include: peer pressure, influence from other people or the internet, bullying, crime and anti-social behaviour, family tensions, race/hate crime, lack of self-esteem or identity and personal or political grievances. But many people will have experienced these issues, and the vast majority will not go onto become involved in terrorism.
Radicalisation can be a gradual process and happen over a long period of time. It is therefore possible to intervene and prevent vulnerable people from being drawn into terrorist-related activity.
The threat to the UK from international terrorism is currently ‘severe’ – meaning an attack is highly likely. The threat level for the UK from international terrorism is set nationally by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC).
The ‘Prevent’ risk relates to the risk of individuals being radicalized or drawn into extremism.
However no area is risk free and it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that anyone who is vulnerable to radicalisation gets access to the support they need.
Keeping our children safe, and ensuring our schools prepare them for life in modern, multi-cultural Britain could not be more important.
Schools already play an important role in safeguarding young people from various harms, including physical/sexual abuse, drug abuse and bullying. Similarly school staff can also play a role in identifying the signs, and helping to reduce the risks of, radicalisation.
Plymouth City Council has rolled out Workshops to Raise Awareness of Prevent (WRAP) training to all its staff including schools in the city. These workshops raise awareness of issues around radicalisation, some of the signs that teachers should look out for and how to check and share concerns in line with their safeguarding responsibilities. It also underlines the importance of ensuring that they deal with issues in a proportionate manner.
Schools should be safe spaces where children and young people can challenge and discuss ideas around extremism and develop the critical thinking skills that allows them to reject extremism.
Universities’ commitment to freedom of speech and the advancement of knowledge means they represent one of our most important arenas for challenging extremist views and ideologies.
The Prevent Guidance makes explicit reference to universities’ duties to ensure freedom of speech and academic freedom.
Universities have the experience and knowledge to be able to establish how to protect students from extremist ideas.
This is not about clamping down on free speech. It is about protecting young people who may be vulnerable to radicalisation.
Prevent addresses all forms of terrorism. It applies to any individual, from any faith, ethnicity or background who may be at risk of being drawn into any form of terrorism. The most significant terrorist threat currently comes from Islamist terrorist organisations such as Daesh and Al Qa’ida associated groups. The Government’s security response therefore reflects this.
Britain is home to diverse Muslim communities who contribute to every aspect of the UK’s social, political and economic life and are free to practice their religion in accordance with the law. It goes without saying that the vast majority of Muslims do so while abhorring the terrorist acts of Daesh and AQ associated groups.
The Government’s Prevent Strategy offers support to members of the Muslim Community, alongside members of any other community, faith or background, who may be vulnerable to radicalisation and being drawn into extremism of any sort.
The Prevent Strategy is clear that Prevent activities must not be used as a means for covert spying on people or communities. It is about protecting and safeguarding those who might be vulnerable to the danger of radicalisation.
Follow the guidance above - what guidance?
Any reported concerns will be assessed and, if necessary, referred to the Channel Panel.
The individual will only be informed of the identity of the person who made the referral if it is considered appropriate and that person is a professional or acting on behalf of a professional body (this is consistent with other types of safeguarding cases). If the referral has been made by a friend or family member, or another source that is considered to be sensitive, this information will not be divulged.