Prevent Duty

The Government’s Prevent strategy aims to reduce the threat to the UK from terrorism by stopping people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. The Prevent Duty Guidance places a duty on schools, and child care providers, to “have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”. 

The current threat from Terrorism and Extremism in the United Kingdom is real and severe and can involve the exploitation of vulnerable people, including children to involve them in extremist activity. A guide for schools and others working with children and young people is designed to provide some tools and a local framework for professionals with which to respond to the new Prevent Duty and manage any safeguarding concerns for those children and young people who may be vulnerable to the messages of extremism. In addition it provides details of local multi agency working and expectations with regards identifying appropriate interventions and the Channel process.

Contest is the Governments counter terrorism strategy, its aim is to reduce the risk to the UK and its interests overseas from terrorism.

Prevent is a key part of the contest strategy, its aim is to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. Early intervention is at the heart of “Prevent” in diverting people away from being drawn into terrorist activity. “Prevent” happens before any criminal activity takes place. It is about recognising, supporting and protecting people who might be susceptible to radicalisation.

The Prevent Strategy objectives are:

• Ideology – respond to the ideological challenge of terrorism and the threat we face from those who promote it;
• Individuals – prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure that they are given appropriate advice and support; and
• Institutions – work with sectors and institutions where there are risks of radicalisation which we need to address.

Channel is a key element of the “Prevent” strategy and is a multi-agency approach to protect people at risk from radicalisation. Channel uses existing collaboration between local authorities, statutory partners (such as education and health sectors, social services, children’s and youth services and offender management services), the police and the local community to:

• Identify individuals at risk of being drawn into terrorism;
• Assess the nature and extent of that risk; and develop the most appropriate support for the individuals concerned.

Channel is about safeguarding children and adults from being drawn into committing terrorist-related activity. It is about early intervention to protect and divert people away from the risk they face before illegality occurs.

Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015

Section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 (the Act) places a duty on certain bodies (“specified authorities” listed in Schedule 6 to the Act), in the exercise of their functions, to have “due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”. (Prevent Duty Guidance for England and Wales 2015)

Links 

Educate Against Hate

https://educateagainsthate.com/