Prevent Policy
POLICY TO SUPPORT THE PREVENTION OF EXTREMISM AND RADICALISATION (PREVENT)
Aim of this Policy
The overall aim of the policy is to implement a set of procedures to report and act upon a child, young person or vulnerable adult being drawn into terrorism and to comply with the government policies outlined below.
Scope of this Policy
This policy applies to all learners and staff/associates involved in training programmes with Skills for Security.
Access to this Policy
This policy can be accessed electronically. Copies of the PREVENT policy are available to staff, associates, and learners during induction.
Key Documents
This policy should be read in conjunction with the following documents and guidance:
- Safeguarding Policy & Procedures
- Equality and Diversity Policy
- Health & Safety Policy
- Data Protection Policy & Procedure
External documentation:
- Work based learners and the PREVENT statutory duty – 2018 (updated April 2021)
- Guidance for further education providers on work based learners and the Prevent statutory duty – May 2021
- Keeping Children Safe in Education – Sept 2021
- Counter Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019
- Martyn’s Law December 2022
Government Policy
The United Kingdom faces a range of terrorist threats. All terrorist groups who pose a threat to the UK seek to radicalise and recruit people to their cause. A system of threat levels has been created which represents the likelihood of an attack in the near future. Section 21 of the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 places a duty on certain bodies to have “due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”. The Government’s Prevent Strategy forms part of an overall Counter Terrorism Strategy known as CONTEST.
The Contest Strategy has four elements which are outlined below:
- Pursue
- Protect
- Prepare
- Prevent
Prevent is the key part of the Contest Strategy which aims to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. Early intervention is at the heart of ‘Prevent’ in diverting people away from being drawn into terrorist activity as ‘Prevent’ happens before any criminal activity takes place. It is about recognising, supporting, and protecting individuals who might be susceptible to radicalisation.
The Prevent Strategy objectives are as follows:
- Respond to the ideological challenge of terrorism and the threat we face from those that promote it
- Prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure that they are given appropriate support
- Work with sectors and institutions where there are risks of radicalisation that we need to address
The Government’s Prevent Strategy was explicitly changed in 2011 (updated 2021) to deal with all forms of terrorism and target not only violent extremism but also non-violent extremism, which can create an atmosphere conducive to terrorism by exploiting their ideas and views.
Martyn’s Law
What will Martyn’s law do? Martyn’s Law will help further improve public safety, enhancing our national security and reducing the risk to the public from terrorism by the protection of public premises and events.
It will place a requirement on those responsible for certain premises and events to consider the threat from terrorism and implement appropriate and proportionate mitigation measures.
The legislation will ensure responsible persons are prepared, ready to respond and know what to do in the event of an attack. Better protection will be delivered through enhanced security systems, staff training, and clearer processes.
Equality, Diversity and Community Cohesion – Skills for Security aims to guide our learners to understand others, to promote common values and diversity. To promote awareness of human rights and the responsibility to uphold and defend them, by developing participation and responsible action. Our key role is preparing all our learners for life in modern Britain. We aim to encourage working towards a society in which there is a common vision and sense of belonging by all.
Vulnerability and Risk Indicators – The following list is not exhaustive and all or none may be present in individual cases of concern. Also, it does not mean that any child, young person, or vulnerable adult experiencing these factors is automatically at risk of exploitation for the purposes of extremism. The accepted view is that a complex relationship between the various aspects of an individual’s identity determines their vulnerability to extremism. There is no such thing as a ‘typical extremist’ and those involved in extremism come from a range of backgrounds and experiences. The following indicators may help to identify factors that suggest a young person, or their family may be vulnerable or involved with extremism: –
- Vulnerability identity crisis – Distance from cultural/religious heritage and uncomfortable with their place in the society around them
- Personal crisis – Family tensions, sense of isolation, adolescence, low self-esteem, disassociating from existing friendship group and becoming involved with a new and different group of friends, searching for answers to questions about identity, faith and belonging
- Personal circumstances – Migration, local community tensions, events affecting country or region of origin, alienation from UK values, having a sense of grievance that is triggered by personal experience of racism or discrimination or aspects of Government policy
- Unmet aspirations – Perceptions of injustice, feeling of failure, rejection of civil life
- Criminality – Experiences of imprisonment, poor resettlement or reintegration, previous involvement with criminal groups
- Access to extremist influences
- Reason to believe that the young person associates with those known to be involved in extremism
- Possession or distribution of extremist literature/other media material likely to incite racial/religious hatred or acts of violence
- Use of closed network groups via electronic media for the purpose of extremist activity
- Experience of peer, social, family or faith group rejection
- International events in areas of conflict and civil unrest have a personal impact on the young person resulting in a noticeable change in behaviour
- Verbal or written support of terrorist attacks
- First-hand experience of racial or religious hate crime
- Extended periods of travel to international locations known to be associated with extremism
- Evidence of fraudulent identity/use of documents to support this
- Experience of disadvantage, discrimination, or social exclusion
- History of criminal activity
- Pending a decision on their immigration/national status
More critical risk factors include
- Being in contact with extremist recruiters
- Articulating support for extremist causes or leaders
- Accessing extremist websites, especially those with a social networking element
- Possessing extremist literature
- Justifying the use of violence to solve societal issues
- Joining extremist organisations
- Significant changes to appearance/behaviour
Referral and Intervention Process
Any identified concerns, as the result of observed behaviour or reports of conversations to suggest that the child, young person, or vulnerable adult supports terrorism and/or extremism, must be reported to the Designated Safeguarding Officer, in their absence, the Safeguarding Deputy, verbally and in writing on the same day that the concerns were raised.
Where someone is thought to be in need/or at risk of significant harm, and/or where investigations need to be carried out, a referral should be made in line with the Safeguarding Policy and Procedure. However, it should be recognised that concerns of this nature, in relation to violent extremism, are most likely to require a police investigation (as part of the Channel process).
As part of the referral process, the designated Safeguarding Officer will contact the Anti-Terrorist Hotline – 0800 789 321.
Some concerns which are identified may have a security dimension to them. For this reason, it is important that liaison with the police forms an early part of all investigations. The police will carry out an initial assessment and, if appropriate, set up a multiagency meeting to agree actions for supporting the individual. If it is deemed that there are no concerns around radicalisation, appropriate and targeted support will be considered for the learner, which may involve Skills for Security alongside other external agencies.
Incidents in relation to extremism are expected to be rare but immediate action will be adopted when there is information that a violent act is imminent, or where weapons or other materials may be in the possession of a learner or a community member. In this situation, a 999 call will be made, and the Designated Safeguarding Lead for Skills for Security will be informed as soon as practicably possible.
Responsibilities
This policy is the responsibility of the Managing Director of Skills for Security. To ensure that Skills for Security effectively complies with our legal responsibility to manage risks and can deal appropriately with issues around radicalisation and extremism the company will:
- Understand the nature of the threat from extremism and how this may impact directly or indirectly on the company
- Understand and manage potential risks within the organisation and from external influences including the display of extremist materials and the hiring of external premises
- Respond rapidly and appropriately to events in local, national, or international news that may impact on the organisation
- Respond rapidly to any issues raised
- Ensure measures are in place to minimise the potential for acts of extremism within the organisation and protect all learners and employees from radicalising influences
- Ensure learners and employees are resilient to extreme narratives
- Ensure plans are in place to respond appropriately to a threat or incident within the organisation
- Identify changes in behaviour of learners and employees
- Adopt effective IT security and promote this to all staff and learners
Teaching, Learning & Supporting Learners
Skills for Security is committed to providing a curriculum which promotes knowledge, skills and understanding to build the resilience of all learners, by undermining extremist ideology and supporting the learner voice. This will be achieved through:
- Embedding equality, diversity and inclusion across the curriculum and promoting community cohesion
- Promoting wider skill development such as social emotional wellbeing
- Developing a curriculum which recognises local needs, challenges extremism, and promotes universal rights
- Teaching & learning strategies which explore controversial issues in a way which promotes equality, diversity, and inclusion
- Use of external organisations to support learning and promote respect
To ensure all learners remain safe the following support will be in place:
- Effective support services which provide clear information, advice, and guidance on preventing learners from being drawn into extremism and radicalisation
- Literature is written in clear and simple language which promotes equality, diversity and inclusion and undermines extremist ideology
- Support learners and staff on how to access support through community partners and network groups
- Clear channels of communication to listen to the voice of the local community and understand local tensions
- Support for ‘at risk’ Learners through safeguarding and mentoring processes
- A focus on closing the achievement gaps, if any, across different cohorts and regions
Staff and Associate Responsibilities – The Director of Education and the Designated Safeguarding Lead holds overall responsibility for ensuring that the Prevent Policy is implemented across the company and any concerns are shared with the relevant organisations to minimise the risk of learners becoming involved with terrorism. The Designated Safeguarding Lead will ensure that staff, associates, and learners are aware of the Prevent Agenda and appropriate training is in place. They will also ensure that as far as is possible all team members undergo consistent training from reputable training organisations, including the use of technical experts in this field, and they hold the relevant qualifications in both Safeguarding and Prevent.
All staff and associates have a responsibility to:
- Provide an ethos which upholds the organisation’s mission, vision and values and promote respect, equality, diversity, and inclusion
- Report any concerns around extremism or radicalisation via the safeguarding reporting channels
- Report and remove any literature displayed around the organisation or stakeholders’ sites that could cause offense or promote extremist views
- Support the development of staff/associates and learner understanding of the issues around extremism and radicalisation and participate in training when requested
- Participate in engagement with local communities, schools, and external organisations as appropriate
Training – Training on PREVENT will be delivered as and when there is a necessity to ensure that all staff and associates have up to date information on legislative requirements.
- Complete a record of training and professional development undertaken (CPD)
- All new staff/associates to the organisation will receive Prevent training as part of their induction, with certificates stored electronically in their HR file.
- All staff and associates will be trained and undertake an online safeguarding and prevent awareness course
Access & Monitoring of IT Systems – To safeguard individuals from accessing extremist materials while using company equipment, Skills for Security will ensure:
- There is the ability to log and retain records of all electronic communication (web browsing, email exchanges, etc.) by users on the organisation network
- Only organisation approved software will be supported by the organisation and allowed to be used
- All unauthorised software that breaches organisation policy or presents a risk to staff/ associates or learner safety will be removed and appropriate action taken
- All unusual or suspicious events, and any breaches of security are reported via the safeguarding reporting channels for further investigation
Revised Prevent duty guidance: for England and Wales
Revised Prevent duty guidance: for Scotland
Martyn’s Law
https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2022/12/19/martyns-law-factsheet/
Last Review Date: April 2024
Next Review Date: April 2025
Position in Organisation: Head of Quality