Safeguarding and the Prevent Strategy
Background
Prevent is 1 of the 4 elements of CONTEST, the government’s counter-terrorism
strategy. It aims to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. The
Prevent strategy:
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responds to the ideological challenge we face from terrorism and aspects of
extremism, and the threat we face from those who promote these views
provides practical help to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and
ensure they are given appropriate advice and support
works with a wide range of sectors (including education, criminal justice, faith,
charities, online and health) where there are risks of radicalisation
The strategy covers all forms of terrorism, including far right extremism and some
aspects of non-violent extremism. However, work is prioritised according to the risks
we face. The Home Office works with local authorities, a wide range of government
departments, and community organisations to deliver the Prevent strategy. The
police also play a significant role in Prevent, in much the same way as they do when
taking a preventative approach to other crimes. A range of measures are employed
to challenge extremism in the UK, including:
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giving guidance to local authorities and institutions to understand the threat
from extremism and the statutory powers available to them to challenge
extremist speakers
supporting community based campaigns and activity which can effectively
rebut terrorist and extremist propaganda and offer alternative views to our
most vulnerable target audiences – working with a range of civil society
organisations
supporting people who are at risk of being drawn into terrorist activity through
the Channel process, which involves several agencies working together to
give individuals access to services such as health and education, specialist
mentoring and diversionary activities - more information on Channel can be
found in the Channel Guidance and Channel Vulnerability Assessment
The outputs and impact of our work locally and nationally are measured, to make
sure the Prevent programme provides value for money.
Further information on Prevent, and the work done to stop people becoming
terrorists or supporting terrorism, can be found in CONTEST, and in the CONTEST
Annual Report.
Violent Extremism is defined by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) as:
"The demonstration of unacceptable behaviour by using any means or medium to
express views, which:
 Encourage, justify or glorify terrorist violence in furtherance of particular
beliefs;
 Seek to provoke others to terrorist acts;
 Encourage other serious criminal activity or seek to provoke others to serious
criminal acts;
 Foster hatred which might lead to inter-community violence in the UK."
There are a number of offences that can be considered when dealing with violent
extremism. They include offences arising through spoken words, creation of audio
files and videos of speeches, internet entries, chanting, banners and written notes
and publications. The main offences employed to date have been soliciting murder
and inciting racial hatred.
Legislation
The Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 places particular responsibilities on
local authorities to establish Panels with the function of assessing the extent to which
identified individuals are vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism. The functions of
the panel are detailed within the act and are focused on preparing; initiating;
reviewing and revising support plans for identified individuals.
This Act also specifies that panels must include representatives from the responsible
local authority and the local chief officer of police. The panel must be chaired by the
relevant local authority, other members of the panel can be other person considered
to be appropriate by the local authority. Partners of a panel are required to, as far as
appropriate and are reasonably practicable; cooperate with the panel and the police
in carrying out their respective functions.
Simultaneously, the Care Act 2014, inter alia, requires local authorities to make
enquiries in cases of abuse and neglect. The North West Regional Channel
management defines the Channel cohort as ‘at risk of suffering psychological abuse
which includes emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of
contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal
abuse, cyber bullying, isolation or unreasonable and unjustified withdrawal of
services or supportive networks’.
Local authorities have overarching responsibility for safeguarding and promoting the welfare
of all children and young people in their area. They have a number of statutory functions
under the 1989 and 2004 Children Acts which make this clear, and this guidance sets these
out in detail. This includes specific duties in relation to children in need and children
suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm, regardless of where they are found, under
sections 17 and 47 of the Children Act 1989.
Scope
This strategy aims to embed the Prevent Duty within and a cross all agencies, with
or without a statutory Prevent Duty, that operate in Wirral. Wirral Council will work in
accordance within Home Office guidelines and with the North West Regional
Channel Team, Merseyside Police and adjacent local authorities to ensure a
consistent and compliant approach to the Prevent Duty in Wirral. Governance will be
achieved by Wirral Safeguarding Adults Partnership Board and the Wirral
Safeguarding Children Board, through a shared sub-group reporting through the
executive group of each board.
Intention
 To minimise the likelihood of radicalisation of vulnerable people in Wirral, thus
preventing activity that enables or supports terrorism.
 To ensure there is an effective and efficient response to identifying those who
are identified as being susceptible to radicalisation.
 To provide leadership for the Prevent Duty by promoting appropriate referral
and collaboration between affected agencies, families, carers and other
supporters.
 To provide resources and guidance to support those who are at risk and those
that support them.
Information Sharing
There is a statutory duty for professionals to share information where there are
concerns about the safety or well-being of a child or vulnerable adult.
Numerous pieces of legislation bestow a power or duty on local authorities to share
information in specific circumstances. Please check existing local policies within the
following statutory frameworks as appropriate:
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The Data Protection Act 1998;
Data protection (Processing of sensitive personal Data) order 2000;
The Human Rights Act 1998;
The Common Law Duty of Confidentiality;
The Crime and Disorder Act 1998;
Local Government Act 1972;
Local government Act 2000;
The Caldicott Principles.
All information sharing must be conducted in accordance with a relevant legal power
of duty.
Referral Process
To provide and brief out an effective referral process allied to existing safeguarding
alerts, thresholds, procedures, management and recording. Referral will be made by
way of the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH).
Safeguarding
Once an individual has been identified as being in need of safeguarding from
radicalisation then dependent on their age the appropriate Safeguarding Children or
Adults legislation and commensurate Wirral procedures should be followed. No
separate arrangements should be made in respect of this particular type of abuse.
Children and Young People
Three main areas of concern have been identified for initial attention in developing
the awareness and understanding of how to recognise and respond to the increasing
threat of children/young people being radicalised:
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Increasing understanding of radicalisation and the various forms it might take,
thereby enhancing the skills and abilities to recognise signs and indicators
amongst all staff working with children and young people;
Identifying a range of interventions - universal, targeted and specialist - and
the expertise to apply these proportionately and appropriately;
Taking appropriate measures to safeguard the well-being of children living
with or in direct contact with known extremists.
Schools
Wirral schools, both, secondary and primary, are to be provided with the ability to
train and brief their own staff through a ‘Train the Trainer’ programme (WRAP) for
head teachers and their respective safeguarding leads. They will be supported in this
aim through the provision of supportive materials and further training through access
to the ‘Home Office WRAP On-line Portal’. Head teachers are further supported
through the network provided by Wirral Association of School Heads (WASH).
Further Education
Further Education colleges on the Wirral are provided with WRAP training for all their
staff and a number of staff members have been trained to deliver the workshop
themselves to their colleagues. They also have access to supporting materials and
guidance.
Channel Panel
To provide leadership, cooperation, governance and administrative support to the
Channel Panel, by using existing safeguarding principles and procedures to protect
those who are both at risk and in a non-criminal space. Home Office guidelines will
be followed to facilitate effective and lawful information sharing and risk assessment
within timely and inclusive meetings that consider carefully the circumstances and
factors affecting individuals on a case by case basis. This will allow effective decision
making and the formulation of proportionate and realistic solutions. The panel will
use established interventions, whilst seeking to develop and enhance and combine
the range of interventions available.
Training
Training through the use of the current WRAP product will be the principle method of
training supported by a locally designed ‘Train the Trainer’ programme. A Prevent
E-learning module has been designed for inclusion on the Wirral Council e-learning
platform which can be accessed by the general population of the Wirral and is a
mandatory course for Wirral Council managers and employees. WRAP 3 ‘face to
face’ training will be provided on a multi-agency basis through the SAPB and WSCB
boards to professional and volunteers, who work directly with individuals or groups
that may be susceptible to radicalisation. Responsible organisations will have access
to other training resources and guidance through the ‘Home Office WRAP On-line
Portal’
Awareness
General awareness of the Prevent strategy will be achieved through the use of
approved WRAP materials utilising existing safeguarding and professional networks.
Development
It is anticipated that the nature and immediacy of the Prevent strategy makes it likely
for further development and variation. Local authority staff with responsibility for
safeguarding development will be responsible for reviewing and adapting this policy
in response to required changes.