Prevent & Radicalisation
Prevent & Radicalisation
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What is Prevent?
PREVENT is one of the four elements of CONTEST, the government's counter terrorism strategy. The main aim of PREVENT is to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism by:
Responding to the challenges we face from terrorism and aspects of extremism, and the threat we face from those who promote these views
Providing practical help to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensuring they are given appropriate advice and support
Working with a wide range of sectors (including education, criminal justice, faith, charities, online, and health) where there are risks of radicalisation that we need to deal with.
The Prevent Duty is a national response to the ideological challenge we face from terrorism and aspects of extremism, and the threat we face from those who promote these views. It provides practical help to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure they are given appropriate advice and support, and works in partnership with a wide range of sectors (including education, criminal justice, faith, charities, online, and health) where there are risks of radicalisation that we need to deal with.
Radicalisation
All schools, colleges and universities have a legal duty to educate students about extremist behaviour and to report any concerns about students who may be at risk of radicalisation.
Radicalisation is a process by which individuals, often young people, move from supporting moderate mainstream views to supporting extreme ideological views.
This process can occur online through exposure to and engagement with violent ideological propaganda, or offline through extremist networks. Radicalisation makes those at risk more likely to support terrorism and violent acts of extremism, and possibly even commit such criminal acts themselves.
Online Radicalisation
Online Radicalisation
Advice on Radicalisation
Advice on Radicalisation
Who is at risk?
Who is at risk?
Anyone can be radicalised, but factors such as being easily influenced and impressionable make children and young people particularly vulnerable.
Children who are at risk of radicalisation may have low self-esteem or be victims of bullying or discrimination. They may feel:
isolated and lonely or wanting to belong
unhappy about themselves and what others might think of them
embarrassed or judged about their culture, gender, religion, or race
stressed or depressed
fed up of being bullied or treated badly by other people or by society
angry at other people or the government
confused about what they are doing
pressured to stand up for other people who are being oppressed
Fact
In the year ending March 2025, thousands of children and young people under 18 were referred to the Prevent Programme across England and Wales, making up the majority of the overall 8,778 total referrals.
Fact
In the year ending 31 March 2025, 1,798 people were referred to Prevent because of concerns about Extreme Right-Wing radicalisation. This represented 21% of all Prevent referrals and was more than double the number of referrals linked to Islamist extremism (870)
Do you know the signs?
Do you know the signs?
Recognising signs of radicalisation:
The following could describe general teenage behaviour, however, together with other signs may mean a young person is being radicalised:
out of character changes in dress, behaviour, and changes in their friendship group
losing interest in previous activities and friendships
secretive behaviour and switching screens when you come near
The following signs are more specific to radicalisation:
owning mobile phones or devices they cannot account for
showing sympathy for extremist causes
advocating extremist messages
glorifying violence
accessing extremist literature and imagery
showing a mistrust of mainstream media reports and belief in conspiracy theories
appearing angry about governmental policies, especially foreign policy
What are the regional terrorist threats and concerns?
What are the regional terrorist threats and concerns?
UK
UK
National
North West
North West
Regional
Warrington
Warrington
Local
The most serious threat is from Islamist terrorism and extremism
Extreme right-wing terrorism
Online radicalisation and extremist content continue to be a significant concern, particularly in relation to self-initiated terrorists and young people accessing extremist material online
Incel ideology and other forms of misogynistic violent extremism are recognised risk factors within the wider extremist landscape.
Self-Initiated terrorism, which is the most likely threat to the UK
Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire
In Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire, concerns remain around a range of extremist ideologies, including Extreme Right-Wing and Islamist extremism.
Self-Initiated Terrorism continues to be a priority risk, with individuals potentially motivated by Extreme Right-Wing, Islamist or mixed ideological influences.
Online radicalisation continues to play a significant role in both Islamist and Extreme Right-Wing investigations and remains a key safeguarding concern.
Extreme Right-Wing extremism remains a significant concern within the North West, while Islamist terrorism continues to represent the primary national terrorist threat.
Extreme Right-Wing rhetoric remains the most common ideology seen in local Prevent cases
Different Extreme / Terrorist Groups
Different Extreme / Terrorist Groups
National Action is a British right-wing extremist and neo-Nazi terrorist organisation.
Incels (involuntary celibates) are broadly categorized by law enforcement, governments, and civil rights organizations as an ideological movement or subculture associated with violent extremism, rather than a single, organized "extremist group." Because the community is highly decentralized and lacks a formal leadership hierarchy or strategic political program, security experts treat it as an online ecosystem where individuals can become radicalized toward violence.
The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and by its Arabic acronym Da'ish or Daesh
What are we doing here at Warrington & Vale Royal College?
What are we doing here at Warrington & Vale Royal College?
P – Promotion of British Values and positive relationships
R – Refer any concerns via safeguarding to relevant authorities
E – Education for students via induction and reviews
V – Vetting and removal of any posters or other materials of an extremist nature
E – Environment is safe and secure with sufficient security procedures and online filters
N – News monitoring for any concerns
T – Training of staff to raise awareness of the signs and risks
Further links & reading:
www.actearly.uk for support and guidance on radicalisation
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