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Prevent Duty Guidance:: For England and Wales
Prevent Duty Guidance:: For England and Wales
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Contents 1
Contents
B. Introduction.........................................................................................2
E. Sector-specific guidance.................................................................6
Local authorities.................................................................................6
Further education............................................................................13
Higher education.............................................................................16
The police...........................................................................................25
F. Glossary of terms............................................................................27
2 Prevent Duty Guidance in England and Wales
B. Introduction
5. The Prevent strategy, published by the • prevent people from being drawn into
Government in 2011, is part of our overall terrorism and ensure that they are given
counter-terrorism strategy, CONTEST. The aim appropriate advice and support; and
of the Prevent strategy is to reduce the threat to
the UK from terrorism by stopping people • work with sectors and institutions where
becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. there are risks of radicalisation that we
In the Act this has simply been expressed as need to address.
the need to “prevent people from being drawn
into terrorism”. 7. Terrorist groups often draw on extremist
ideology, developed by extremist organisations.
6. The 2011 Prevent strategy has three specific Some people who join terrorist groups have
strategic objectives: previously been members of extremist
organisations and have been radicalised by them.
• respond to the ideological challenge of The Government has defined extremism in the
terrorism and the threat we face from Prevent strategy as: “vocal or active opposition to
those who promote it; fundamental British values, including democracy,
the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual
respect and tolerance of different faiths and
beliefs. We also include in our definition of
extremism calls for the death of members of
our armed forces”.
Prevent Duty Guidance in England and Wales 3
8. The Prevent strategy was explicitly changed principles of civic participation and social
in 2011 to deal with all forms of terrorism and cohesion. These extremists purport to identify
with non-violent extremism, which can create grievances to which terrorist organisations then
an atmosphere conducive to terrorism and can claim to have a solution.
popularise views which terrorists then exploit.
It also made clear that preventing people 11. The white supremacist ideology of extreme
becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism right-wing groups has also provided both the
requires challenge to extremist ideas where inspiration and justification for people who have
they are used to legitimise terrorism and are committed extreme right-wing terrorist acts.
shared by terrorist groups. And the strategy
also means intervening to stop people moving 12. In fulfilling the duty in section 26 of the Act,
from extremist (albeit legal) groups into we expect all specified authorities to participate
terrorist-related activity. fully in work to prevent people from being
drawn into terrorism. How they do this, and the
9. Our Prevent work is intended to deal with all extent to which they do this, will depend on
kinds of terrorist threats to the UK. The most many factors, for example, the age of the
significant of these threats is currently from individual, how much interaction they have with
terrorist organisations in Syria and Iraq, and Al them, etc. The specified authorities in Schedule
Qa’ida associated groups. But terrorists associated 6 to the Act are those judged to have a role in
with the extreme right also pose a continued protecting vulnerable people and/or our national
threat to our safety and security. security. The duty is likely to be relevant to
fulfilling other responsibilities such as the duty
10. Islamist extremists regard Western arising from section 149 of the Equality Act 2010.
intervention in Muslim-majority countries
as a ‘war with Islam’, creating a narrative of 13. This guidance identifies best practice for each
‘them’and‘us’. Their ideology includes the of the main sectors and describes ways in which
uncompromising belief that people cannot be they can comply with the duty. It includes sources
both Muslim and British, and that Muslims living of further advice and provides information on
here should not participate in our democracy. how compliance with the duty will be monitored.
Islamist extremists specifically attack the
15. There are three themes throughout the • communicate and promote the importance of
sector-specific guidance, set out later in this the duty; and
document: effective leadership, working in
partnership and appropriate capabilities. • ensure staff implement the duty effectively.
4 Prevent Duty Guidance in England and Wales
E. Sector-specific guidance
Local authorities Many local authorities use Community Safety
Partnerships but other multi-agency forums
29. With their wide-ranging responsibilities, may be appropriate.
and democratic accountability to their electorate,
local authorities are vital to Prevent work. 34. It is likely that links will need to be made to
Effective local authorities will be working other statutory partnerships such as Local
with their local partners to protect the public, Safeguarding Children Boards Safeguarding
prevent crime and to promote strong, Adults Boards, Channel panels and Youth
integrated communities. Offending Teams.
Specified local authorities 35. It will be important that local or regional
30. The local authorities that are subject to the Prevent co-ordinators have access to senior local
duty are listed in Schedule 6 to the Act. They are: authority leadership to give advice and support.
• a county council or district council in England; 36. We expect local multi-agency arrangements
to be put in place to effectively monitor the
• the Greater London Authority; impact of Prevent work.
• a London borough council; 37. Prevent work conducted through local
authorities will often directly involve, as well as
• the Common Council of the City of London have an impact on local communities. Effective
in its capacity as a local authority; dialogue and coordination with community-
• the Council of the Isles of Scilly; based organisations will continue to be essential.
32. In fulfilling the new duty, local authorities, 39. This risk assessment should also be informed
including elected members and senior officers by engagement with Prevent co-ordinators,
should be carrying out activity in the following areas. schools, registered childcare providers,
universities, colleges, local prisons, probation
Partnership services, health, immigration enforcement Youth
33. Local authorities should establish or make Offending Teams and others, as well as by a
use of an existing local multi-agency group to local authority’s own knowledge of its area.
agree risk and co-ordinate Prevent activity.
Prevent Duty Guidance in England and Wales 7
Schools and registered childcare keep children safe and promote their welfare.
providers (excluding higher and It makes clear that to protect children in their
care, providers must be alert to any safeguarding
further education). and child protection issues in the child’s life at
57. In England about eight million children are home or elsewhere (paragraph 3.4 EYFS).
educated in some 23,000 publicly-funded and Early years providers must take action to
around 2,400 independent schools. The publicly- protect children from harm and should be
funded English school system comprises alert to harmful behaviour by other adults
maintained schools (funded by local authorities), in the child’s life.
and academies (directly funded by central
government. In Wales, over 450,000 children 61. Early years providers already focus on children’s
attend Local Authority maintained schools, personal, social and emotional development
and there are 70 independent schools.1 The Early Years Foundation Stage framework
supports early years providers to do this in an
58. All publicly-funded schools in England are age appropriate way, through ensuring children
required by law to teach a broad and balanced learn right from wrong, mix and share with other
curriculum which promotes the spiritual, moral, children and value other’s views, know about
cultural, mental and physical development of similarities and differences between themselves
pupils and prepares them for the opportunities, and others, and challenge negative attitudes and
responsibilities and experiences of life. They must stereotypes.
also promote community cohesion. Independent
schools set their own curriculum but must comply 62. This guidance should be read in conjunction
with the Independent School Standards, which with other relevant guidance. In England, this
include an explicit requirement to promote includes Working Together to Safeguard Children,
fundamental British values as part of broader Keeping Children Safe in Education and Information
requirements relating to the quality of education Sharing: Her Majesty’s Government advice for
and to promoting the spiritual, moral, social and professionals providing safeguarding services to
cultural development of pupils. These standards children, young people, parents and carers.
also apply to academies (other than 16-19
academies), including free schools, as they are https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/
independent schools. 16-19 academies may working-together-to-safeguard-children;
have these standards imposed on them by the https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/
provisions of their funding agreement with the keeping-children-safe-in-education;
Secretary of State.
63. In Wales it should be read alongside Keeping
59. In Wales, independent schools set their own learners safe2:
curriculum, but must comply with Independent
Schools Standards made by the Welsh Ministers. http://wales.gov.uk/docs/dcells/
These Standards also include a requirement to publications/150114-keeping-learners-safe.pdf.
promote the spiritual, moral, social and cultural
development of pupils. 64. The authorities specified in paragraph 65
below are subject to the duty to have due
60. Early years providers serve arguably the most regard to the need to prevent people from being
vulnerable and impressionable members of society. drawn into terrorism. Being drawn into terrorism
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) includes not just violent extremism but also
accordingly places clear duties on providers to non-violent extremism, which can create an
2
Keeping Learners Safe includes advice on
1
Schools Census results on Wales.gov.uk radicalisation on page 51
Prevent Duty Guidance in England and Wales 11
1
18 Prevent Duty Guidance in England and Wales
21. As part of this, we would expect the 125. Student unions, as charitable bodies, are
institution to have clear and widely available registered with the Charity Commission and
policies for the use of prayer rooms and other subject to charity laws and regulations, including
faith-related facilities. These policies should those that relating to preventing terrorism.
outline arrangements for managing prayer Student Unions should also consider whether
and faith facilities (for example an oversight their staff and elected officers would benefit
committee) and for dealing with any issues from Prevent awareness training or other
arising from the use of the facilities. relevant training provided by the Charity
Commission, regional Prevent co-ordinators
IT policies or others.
122. We would would expect universities to
have policies relating to the use of university IT Monitoring and enforcement
equipment. Whilst all institutions will have 126. The Secretary of State will appoint an
policies around general usage, covering what is appropriate body to assess the bodies’
and is not permissible, we would expect these compliance with the Prevent duty. A separate
policies to contain specific reference to the monitoring framework will be published setting
statutory duty. Many educational institutions out the details of how this body will undertake
already use filtering as a means of restricting monitoring of the duty.
access to harmful content, and should consider
the use of filters as part of their overall strategy
to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.
http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/highereducation/
Pages/Oversight Of SecuritySensitiveResearch
Material.aspx
The health sector of the Prevent strategy within their region and
the health regional Prevent co-ordinators (RPCs).
127. Healthcare professionals will meet and treat
people who may be vulnerable to being drawn 134. These RPCs are expected to have regular
into terrorism. Being drawn into terrorism contact with Prevent leads in NHS organisations
includes not just violent extremism but also to offer advice and guidance.
non-violent extremism, which can create an
atmosphere conducive to terrorism and can 135. In Wales, NHS Trusts and Health Boards
popularise views which terrorists exploit. have CONTEST Prevent leads and part of
multi-agency structures where these are in place.
128. The key challenge for the healthcare sector This guidance should be read in conjunction with
is to ensure that, where there are signs that Building Partnerships-Staying Safe issued by the
someone has been or is being drawn into Department of Health and Social Services,
terrorism, the healthcare worker is trained to which provides advice to healthcare organisations
recognise those signs correctly and is aware of on their role in preventing radicalisation of
and can locate available support, including the vulnerable people as part of their safeguarding
Channel programme where necessary. responsibilities.
Preventing someone from being drawn into
terrorism is substantially comparable to 136. In fulfilling the duty, we would expect health
safeguarding in other areas, including child abuse bodies to demonstrate effective action in the
or domestic violence. following areas.
132. The Chief Nursing Officer in NHS England 139. We would also expect the Prevent lead
has responsibility for all safeguarding, and a to have networks in place for their own advice
safeguarding lead, working to the Director of and support to make referrals to the Channel
Nursing, is responsible for the overview and programme.
management of embedding the Prevent programme 140. Since April 2013 commissioners have used
into safeguarding procedures across the NHS. the NHS Standard Contract for all commissioned
133. Each regional team in the NHS has a Head services excluding Primary Care, including
of Patient Experience who leads on safeguarding private and voluntary organisations. Since that
in their region. They are responsible for delivery time, the Safeguarding section of the contract
20 Prevent Duty Guidance in England and Wales
has required providers to embed Prevent into 145. We would therefore expect providers to
their delivery of services, policies and training. have in place:
This should now be bolstered by the statutory duty.
• Policies that include the principles of the
Risk Assessment Prevent NHS guidance and toolkit, which are
141. All NHS Trusts in England have a Prevent set out in Building Partnerships, Staying Safe:
lead who acts as a single point of contact for guidance for healthcare organisations, which can
the health regional Prevent co-ordinators, and be found here:
is responsible for implementing Prevent within
their organisation. To comply with the duty, https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/
staff are expected, as a result of their training, uploads/attachment_data/file/215253/dh_131912.pdf
to recognise and refer those at risk of being
• A programme to deliver Prevent training,
drawn into terrorism to the Prevent lead who
resourced with accredited facilitators;
may make a referral to the Channel programme.
Regional health Prevent co-ordinators are able • Processes in place to ensure that using the
to provide advice and support to staff as intercollegiate guidance, staff receive Prevent
required. In Wales, Health is a member of the awareness training appropriate to their role; and
Wales Contest Board and similar arrangements
are in place. • Procedures to comply with the Prevent
Training and Competencies Framework.
Staff Training
142. The intercollegiate guidance, Safeguarding Monitoring and enforcement
Children and Young people: roles and competences 146.Within the NHS, we expect local
for health care staff includes Prevent information safeguarding forums, including local commissioners
and identifies competencies for all healthcare and providers of NHS Services to have oversight
staff against six levels. of fulfilling the duty and ensuring effective delivery.
143. The training should allow all relevant staff 147. Externally, Monitor is the sector regulator
to recognise vulnerability to being drawn into for health services in England ensuring that
terrorism, (which includes someone with independent NHS Foundation Trusts are well
extremist ideas that are used to legitimise led so that they can provide quality care on a
terrorism and are shared by terrorist groups), sustainable basis. The Trust Development
including extremist ideas which can be used to Authority is responsible for overseeing the
legitimise terrorism and are shared by terrorist performance of NHS Trusts and the Care
groups, and be aware of what action to take in Quality Commission is the independent health
response, including local processes and policies and adult social care regulator that ensures these
that will enable them to make referrals to the services provide people with safe, effective and
Channel programme and how to receive high quality care. In Wales, the Healthcare
additional advice and support. Inspectorate Wales, and the Care and Social
Services Inspectorate Wales could be
144. It is important that staff understand how considered to provide monitoring arrangements.
to balance patient confidentiality with the duty. We will work with the Welsh Government to
They should also be made aware of the consider the arrangements in Wales.
information sharing agreements in place for
sharing information with other sectors, and 148. We are considering whether these internal
get advice and support on confidentiality issues arrangements are robust enough to effectively
when responding to potential evidence that monitor compliance with the duty or whether
someone is being drawn into terrorism, the duty should be incorporated into the remit
either during informal contact or consultation and inspection regimes of one of the existing
and treatment. health regulatory bodies, or another body.
Prevent Duty Guidance in England and Wales 21
custody or later, prison staff should report 166. For offenders already convicted of terrorism
accordingly, through the intelligence reporting or terrorism-related offences, prisons will
system. All such reporting should be regularly complete appropriate pre-release processes
assessed by specialist staff in conjunction with such as Multi-Agency Public Protection
the police. Arrangements (MAPPA) with relevant agencies
including the police and the NPS. These
162. Where such concerns are identified processes ensure that the requirements of the
an establishment should look to support duty are met in the management of terrorist
that individual. This could take the form of offenders in the community with the NPS the
moving them away from a negative influence lead agency in MAPPA for such cases.
or providing them with mentoring from the
relevant chaplain providing religious classes 167. For all prisoners, where sufficient remaining
or guidance. sentence time permits, a formal multi-agency
meeting which includes the police and the
163. Management actions could also include probation counter terrorism lead, should take
a reduction in privilege level, anti-bullying place to inform decisions after release. This will
intervention, adjudication or segregation. ensure that partner agencies work together to
Alternatively, it may be appropriate to provide share relevant information and put provision in
theological, motivational and behavioural place to manage the risk or any outstanding
interventions. concerns This can apply to periods of Release
on Temporary Licence, Home Detention
164. Intelligence and briefing packages targeted Curfew as well as eventual release on licence.
at staff working with terrorist and extremist
prisoners and those at risk of being drawn into 168. Where insufficient time remains, police and
terrorism should continue to be made available probation staff should be given fast time briefing
and delivered. These should continue to be by prison counter-terrorism staff as above and
jointly delivered by appropriately trained prison the National Probation Service CT lead will
staff and police, and will be updated as required. ensure the probation provider in the community
In complying with this duty, extremism awareness is aware of the information, the risks and
training provided to new staff should be increased. relevant personnel within partner agencies.
Transition from custody to supervision in Staff training
the community 169. In complying with the duty, we would
165. Pre-release planning should take place for expect all new prison staff to receive Prevent
all prisoners, including those subject to sentences awareness training (tailored specifically to the
less than 12 months, who will now receive some prison environment). For staff already in post,
level of post-release supervision. Prisons, probation this should be provided through specialist
providers and the police should consider what training and briefing packages that cover working
risks need to be managed in the community with extremist behaviour. This training can be
including those that have arisen whilst in custody delivered in partnership with the police and be
and indicate a vulnerability to being drawn into available to those members of staff who work
terrorism. Where this is the case, a Channel most closely with terrorist and identified
referral will be considered as part of the risk extremist prisoners. All staff should have an
management plans and a referral to Channel understanding of general intelligence systems,
made at the earliest opportunity where reporting and procedures to enable them to
appropriate. report on extremist prisoners and those
vulnerable to extremist messaging.
Prevent Duty Guidance in England and Wales 23
manage any risks identified via MAPPA and to 183. Externally, our preference is to use existing
provide bespoke interventions where relevant. inspection regimes where appropriate to do so.
For offenders who have not been convicted We consider that a thematic inspection by HM
of a terrorism-related offence and may not be Inspector of Prisons could be a useful addition to
MAPPA eligible, but who are subsequently at the monitoring arrangements outlined above.
risk of being drawn into terrorism, we would
expect probation providers to have processes 184. For probation providers, internally,
in place to escalate these cases to other agencies we would expect compliance with the duty
or otherwise refer the offender for appropriate to be reinforced by detailed operational
interventions – for example to the Channel programme. guidance set out in Probation Instructions.
CRCs are contractually required to comply
Staff training with the mandatory actions in relevant
180. We would expect probation providers to Probation Instructions and a similar requirement
ensure that all staff receive appropriate training exists for the NPS in Service Level Agreements.
in identifying and managing those at risk of being Compliance with Probation Instructions is
drawn into terrorism including those with monitored and assured internally by contract
extremist ideas that can be used to legitimise management and audit functions within NOMS
terrorism and are shared by terrorist groups. and the Ministry of Justice
Prevent awareness training has already been
given to probation staff in recent years. In 185. Externally, we consider that a thematic
complying with the duty, we expect this and inspection by HM Inspector of Probation could
other relevant Prevent training to continue. be a useful addition to the monitoring
arrangement outlined above.
181. In the future, we expect Prevent awareness
training to be included within the Probation 186. The YJB monitors the flow of young people
Qualification Framework, which is completed by through the Youth Justice system identifying
all newly qualified probation staff in both the the needs and behaviours of young offenders
NPS and CRCs. In addition PCTLs should lead working closely with local partners to improve
the development of, for example, faith the support available.
awareness or Extremism Risk Screening training
of local training and staff development to supplement
the Prevent awareness training. This should focus
on emerging issues and any new support and
interventions that become available.
F. Glossary of terms
‘Having due regard’ means that the authorities ‘Safeguarding’ is the process of protecting
should place an appropriate amount of weight vulnerable people, whether from crime,
on the need to prevent people being drawn other forms of abuse or (in the context of
into terrorism when they consider all the other this document) from being drawn into terrorist-
factors relevant to how they carry out their related activity.
usual functions.
The current UK definition of ‘terrorism’ is
‘Extremism’ is defined in the 2011 Prevent given in the Terrorism Act 2000 (TACT 2000).
strategy as vocal or active opposition to In summary this defines terrorism as an action
fundamental British values, including democracy, that endangers or causes serious violence to
the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual a person/people; causes serious damage to
respect and tolerance of different faiths and property; or seriously interferes or disrupts an
beliefs. We also include in our definition of electronic system. The use or threat must be
extremism calls for the death of members of designed to influence the government or to
our armed forces, whether in this country intimidate the public and is made for the
or overseas. purpose of advancing a political, religious or
ideological cause.
‘Interventions’ are projects intended to divert
people who are being drawn into terrorist ‘Terrorist-related offences’ are those (such as
activity. Interventions can include mentoring, murder) which are not offences in terrorist
counselling, theological support, encouraging legislation, but which are judged to be
civic engagement, developing support networks committed in relation to terrorism.
(family and peer structures) or providing
mainstream services (education, employment, ‘Vulnerability’ describes the condition of being
health, finance or housing). capable of being injured; difficult to defend; open
to moral or ideological attack. Within Prevent,
‘Non-violent extremism’ is extremism, the word describes factors and characteristics
as defined above, which is not accompanied associated with being susceptible to
by violence. radicalisation.