Prevent – Safeguarding Adults against Radicalisation and Violent Extremism

1. What is Radicalisation?

Radicalisation is the process by which an individual comes to support terrorism and extremist ideologies associated with terrorist groups.

Radicalisation is a process rather than an event, and there is no single profile or pathway by which someone can be drawn into terrorism. There are instead a range of contributing factors that can make someone more vulnerable, including:

  1. Peer pressure;
  2. Bullying;
  3. Family tensions;
  4. Race/hate crime;
  5. Lack of self-esteem or identity;
  6. Personal or political grievances.

Vulnerable individuals are targeted and influenced directly or, increasingly, in online chat rooms or through social media.

2. Risks and Indicators

Risks

Adults can be drawn into violence or they can be exposed to the messages of extremist groups by many means. These can include through the influence of family members or friends and/or direct contact with extremist groups and organisations or, increasingly, through the internet via Social media or other websites. This can put an adult at risk of being drawn into criminal activity and has the potential to lead to the adult suffering significant harm'.

This may take the form of a "grooming" process where the vulnerabilities of an adult are exploited to form an exclusive friendship which draws them away from other influences that might challenge the radical ideology. The risk of radicalisation can develop over time and may relate to a number of factors in the adult's life. Identifying the risks require practitioners to exercise their professional judgement and to seek further advice as necessary. The risk may be combined with other vulnerabilities or may be the only risk identified.

On-line content in particular social media may pose a specific risk in normalising radical views and promoting content that is shocking and extreme; some adults can be trusting and may not necessarily appreciate bias, which can lead to being drawn into such groups and to adopt their extremist views.

Radicalisation is seen as a form of harm or abuse of vulnerable people and should be dealt with as for any other safeguarding concern.

Indicators

With regard to issues that may make an adult vulnerable to radicalisation, these can include:

  • Identity Crisis - Distance from cultural / religious heritage and uncomfortable with their place in the society around them;
  • Personal Crisis - Family tensions; sense of isolation; low self-esteem; disassociating from existing friendship group and becoming involved with a new and different group of friends; searching for answers to questions about identity, faith and belonging;
  • Personal Circumstances - Migration; local community tensions; events affecting country or region of origin; alienation from UK values; having a sense of grievance that is triggered by personal experience of racism or discrimination or aspects of Government policy;
  • Unmet aspirations - Perceptions of injustice; feeling of failure; rejection of community values;
  • Criminality - Experiences of imprisonment; previous involvement with criminal groups.

The following could all be indicators that an adult may be a victim of radicalisation:

  1. General changes of mood, patterns of behaviour, secrecy;
  2. Changes of friends and mode of dress;
  3. Use of inappropriate language;
  4. Possession of violent extremist literature;
  5. The expression of extremist views;
  6. Planning to take long term holidays and visits out of the UK;
  7. Advocating violent actions and means;
  8. Association with known extremists;
  9. Seeking to recruit others to an extremist ideology.

There an obvious difference between expressing radical and extreme views and acting on them and practitioners should ensure that assessments place behaviour in the whole family and social context of the adult. Holding radical or extreme views is not illegal, but inciting a person to commit an act in the name of any belief is in itself an offence.

3. Legal Requirements around Radicalisation

The Counter-Terrorism and Security Act (2015) places a specific legal duty on specified organisations, including local authorities and health providers, to have due regard to the need to prevent people being drawn into terrorism.

The UK Government CONTEST counter terrorism strategy (2011) provides a framework to counter all forms of terrorism and is centred around the four 'Ps':

  • Prevent – to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism;
  • Pursue – to strengthen our protection against a terrorism attack;
  • Protect – to strengthen our protection against a terrorism attack; and
  • Prepare – to mitigate the impact of a terrorist attack.

'Prevent' is part of the Government's counter-terrorism strategy. It aims to safeguard and provide support to divert vulnerable individuals at risk from being radicalised or groomed into supporting terrorist activity, before any crimes are committed.

For guidance on the need to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism see: Revised Prevent Duty Guidance: for England and Wales.

4. Making a Prevent Referral

If you believe an adult is being drawn into or supporting terrorism contact Onecall on 01670 536400 and make it clear that you wish to make a Prevent referral.

Your concerns must be based on the adult's vulnerability to radicalisation and should not be on their religion or ethnic origin.

For more advice contact our Community Safety Team:

Email: Prevent@northumberland.gov.uk

If the adult meets the criteria for adult safeguarding, a safeguarding concern should also be raised. The Local Authority Safeguarding Team and Community Safety Team will work together to ensure the two processes are aligned.

5. Channel

Channel is a process implemented at local level to ensure organisations meet their legal responsibilities around radicalisation. It is an early intervention process to prevent radicalisation and not of benefit after radicalisation has occurred.

Normally chaired by the local authority, a Channel Panel will consist of representation from key agencies, including the police, health and other relevant partners.

The purpose of the Channel Panel is to assess the nature and extent of the risk (using the Channel Vulnerability Assessment) and, if necessary, develop a plan setting out targeted interventions and support that will be provided to the individual at risk of radicalisation.

This could include:

  1. Faith guidance;
  2. Counselling;
  3. Diversionary activities;
  4. Access to specific services, such as health or education.

Each agency is responsible for implementing the actions allocated to them.

The effectiveness of the plan should be regularly reviewed and updated as required should the level of risk change.

Involvement and consent of the adult at risk of radicalisation

The Channel process is a voluntary process, and can only take place if the adult consents.

The process is also inclusive of the adult, whose views and wishes about the support they may need to reduce risk should be fully regarded and incorporated into plans.

Where the adult may experience significant difficulty being part of the process, advocacy support should be provided.

Making a referral to Channel

Whenever there are concerns that an adult may be at risk of radicalisation a referral to Channel should be explored.

Referrals to Channel can be made through the local authority Prevent lead or the local police Prevent engagement officer.

Referrals should be made in line with local processes and requirements.