The role of Prevent is to safeguard and support those vulnerable to radicalisation. It aims to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. The Home Office works with the police, local authorities, a wide range of government departments, and community organisations to deliver the Prevent strategy.
Preventing violent extremism
What is Prevent?
Prevent is 1 of the 4 elements of CONTEST, the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy.
The UK’s counter-terrorism strategy is organised around four categories, each with several key objectives:
Pursue
to stop terrorist attacks
Prevent
to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism
Protect
to strengthen our protection against a terrorist attack
Prepare
to mitigate the impact of a terrorist attack
What is Channel?
Anyone who is referred to Prevent is assessed by the local authority and other partners, including the police, to see if they are appropriate for Channel.
Channel is a voluntary, confidential programme created to safeguard people identified as vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism. It is a multi-agency process, involving partners from the local authority, the police, education, health providers and more.
It is run in every local authority in England and Wales and addresses all types of extremism. It aims to provide the earliest possible intervention for vulnerable people who could be susceptible to radicalisation.
Anyone can make a referral if they are concerned about someone being radicalised. Referrals from the general public can be made to the local authority or the local police.
When an individual is referred to channel, professionals come together to decide if an intervention is required. If so, they then offer the most efficient support to safeguard the individual. The type of support required varies and the panel review and assess the necessities for an individual on a regular basis.
Channel is a support programme. Individuals involved in the channel process are not classed as criminals and will not receive a criminal record.
What are the signs?
It is important to remember that radicalisation is a process and there is no single pathway. People can become radicalised in a short or long period of time and there are several reasons why someone may become vulnerable.
If you are close to someone and you just believe something is not right the best advice is to share your concerns. The earlier intervention is put in to place the better.
For further help in spotting the signs please visit:
Read more about NSPCC
We’re here to protect children from harm. It can be hard to know when extreme views become something dangerous. And the signs of radicalisation aren’t always obvious. It might be nothing, it might be something. But whatever your worried about we are here to help.
Read more about Internet matters
Get to grips with what your children may come across on the internet and how to get help if you need it. Find out what to do if you’re worried about anything you or your child has seen online.
Read more about "Let's talk about it"
Let’s talk about it is an initiative designed to provide practical help and guidance to the public in order to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.
Read more about educate against hate crime
Government advice and trusted resources for schools to safeguard students from radicalisation, build resilience to all types of extremism and promote shared values.
Official reporting extremism website:
Read more about "Act Early "
If you are concerned about an individual and need further help and support access the Counter Terrorism Policing dedicated safeguarding website.
It can be hard to know what to do if you’re worried someone close is expressing extreme views or hatred, which could lead to them harming themselves or others. We will listen and are here to help. Contact us in confidence and we’ll listen carefully to your concerns. You will not be wasting our time. Our approach begins by understanding people are victims of radicalisation; we don’t view them as suspects or criminals.
