The Prevent Duty

Since July 2015, schools have a legal responsibility to “have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”, this is called The Prevent duty.

If you have a concern regarding a child or young person with or without SEND, you should follow your school’s standard safeguarding procedure in the first instance including discussing with your designated safeguarding lead. They may get further advice from the local authority. The local authority or Police might suggest a referral to Channel, a programme aimed at stopping young people being drawn into terrorism. Channel can provide a support plan and specific interventions to protect those at risk, including mentoring support or an ideological or theological intervention.

Contact details for the Prevent team can be found in the support and advice section of this handbook.

There are several things you can do to increase your students’ resilience to extremist narratives, such as:

• Making sure your classroom is a safe space where learners can discuss ideas and controversial issues freely and openly
• Providing skills and knowledge to explore political and social issues critically, to weigh evidence, debate and make reasoned arguments
• Promoting the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect for and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs

The Prevent Duty aims to support settings to: 

• Protect learners from radicalising influences
• Build your learners’ resilience to extremist narratives
• Identify any vulnerabilities or worrying changes in behaviour
• Know what to do if you have concerns about a learner