Implementing the Prevent duty
Stage 1: Risk assessment
The first stage for any institution is to understand the local context in which it is based.
This allows it to assess the risk of children being drawn into terrorism, including support for extremist ideas. The institution’s response should be appropriate and proportionate based on this assessment.
Alongside this general understanding of the risk, an institution should also be able to demonstrate a specific understanding of how to identify individual children who may be at risk.
Stage 2: Build an action plan
It is recommended that institutions develop an action plan based on this risk assessment, creating a proportionate response across a number of key areas:
Building children’s resilience to radicalisation
Providing a safe environment for debating sensitive or controversial issues so that young people and staff can understand the risks associated with terrorism and develop the skills and knowledge to challenge extremist arguments. This links to the promotion of the spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development of pupils and, within that, fundamental British values.
- Policies and procedures
Ensuring suitable IT filtering is in place and that policies are fit for purpose, for example, visitor and hall hire policies.
- Working in partnership
For example, with Local Children’s Safeguarding Boards and local authority Prevent co-ordinators. This also includes effective engagement with parents and families.
- Safeguarding
This includes staff training and raising awareness. This should be specifically centred on how to identify people at risk of radicalisation or extremism and the safeguarding pathways they should use.
Consideration should also be given to safeguarding policies and log books.