Prevent and Counter-Extremism

1. Purpose

Some young people are targeted by people and online content that try to draw them into extremism or terrorism. Our learners can be more susceptible than most: many have been excluded, feel let down or angry, spend long hours online, and are looking for belonging, status and someone to blame. Groomers of every kind exploit exactly those needs.

Prevent is part of safeguarding. A Prevent referral does not criminalise a child; it is a route to support before any crime happens. This policy tells every adult what to look for and what to do, and sets out how we reduce the risk through our curriculum, our building and our systems.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all staff, supply staff, counsellors, coaches, volunteers, students, SWMC members and visitors, and to every learner whoever commissions their place. It covers 37 Townhead Street, outdoor classrooms, off-site visits, work placements and online contact.

3. Law and guidance

• Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, section 26. Specified authorities must have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism. Care Cove is not a school, but we deliver education for commissioning local authorities, we require Prevent training at levels 1 to 3, and we follow the duty and the Prevent duty guidance (2023, as updated) in full.

• Channel duty guidance. Channel is the multi-agency programme, chaired by the local authority, that supports people assessed as susceptible to being drawn into terrorism.

• Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026, which treats radicalisation as a safeguarding issue and names generative AI and online harm as risks.

• Sheffield Children's Safeguarding Partnership procedures (sheffieldscp.trixonline.co.uk).

• DfE guidance on political impartiality in schools, whose principles we follow when teaching about political issues.

• UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 allow us to share information to keep a child safe.

4. Roles and responsibilities

5. Key terms

• Terrorism is the use or threat of serious violence, damage or disruption to advance a political, religious, racial or ideological cause.

• Extremism is promoting an ideology based on violence, hatred or intolerance that aims to destroy the rights and freedoms of others, or to undermine democracy and the rule of law.

• Radicalisation is the process by which a person comes to support terrorism or extremist ideologies linked to terrorism.

6. Risk assessment of the setting

The DSL keeps a written Prevent risk assessment on Connect, reviewed with the Director each year, after any Prevent incident, and when the national threat level or local picture changes. It covers:

• Our learners: exclusion, trauma, grievance, isolation, exploitation, long hours online and a strong need for belonging, all of which can increase susceptibility.

• Local context: information from the local authority Prevent lead and the police, including the local counter-terrorism profile where it is shared with us.

• Online access: filtering and monitoring on site, phones docked all day, and the much greater risk at home.

• The building: shared use with Care Cove Short Breaks and Dreams Are Real CIC, and any lettings.

• Outside the building: outdoor classrooms in the city centre, where groups may meet leafleting, recruitment or protest activity.

• People: speakers, visitors, partners and staff training compliance.

Actions are tracked on Connect and the assessment goes to the SWMC each year.

7. Recognising when a learner may be at risk

7.1 No single profile

There is no typical radicalised young person. Teenagers say shocking things to test adults, and one comment rarely tells the whole story. But we never ignore it. Stay curious, ask open questions and tell the DSL. Autism or other SEND is not a risk factor in itself, but some learners may be drawn more easily into intense online communities and need careful, informed support.

7.2 Signs to look out for

• "Us and them" talk, or dehumanising language about a group of people.

• Justifying or praising violence, terrorist attacks or attackers.

• Sharing or possessing extremist symbols, flags, memes, music, videos or literature.

• A fixation on weapons, explosives, mass killings or school shootings.

• Sudden changes in friends, appearance, routine or online habits; new, older contacts; secrecy about devices.

• A strong sense of grievance or injustice that someone else seems to be feeding.

• Talk of travelling to a conflict zone, or of "doing something" about a cause.

7.3 Online radicalisation

For many young people, radicalisation now starts online. Recommendation algorithms push more extreme content to keep users watching. Recruiters use gaming chats, private groups and messaging apps, and dress up hatred as jokes and memes. Generative AI makes propaganda and fake images quick to produce. A learner can be groomed into extremism in the same way as into sexual or criminal exploitation, and is a victim.

7.4 Misogyny, incel and online subcultures

Some online communities promote hatred of women and girls. The incel ("involuntary celibate") subculture can include contempt for women, self-loathing and, at its extreme, praise for violent attackers. KCSIE 2026 links misogyny with harmful sexual behaviour. We challenge misogynistic language every time. Where it comes with hatred of women, glorifying violence or interest in attacks, the DSL considers a Prevent referral alongside other safeguarding routes.

7.5 Mixed, unclear or no ideology

Some young people pick up ideas from many sources, change views quickly, or are fascinated by violence with no clear cause at all. Lack of a clear ideology is never a reason to do nothing. The DSL considers Prevent, a Safeguarding Hub referral, CAMHS and other support, and may seek advice from the police Prevent team.

8. What to do

8.1 Immediate danger

If anyone is in immediate danger, or you believe an attack is being planned, call 999. Then tell the DSL.

8.2 Every other concern

1. Tell the DSL, or the Deputy if the DSL is not available, immediately, in person or by phone.

2. Record it on Connect the same day as a safeguarding concern: what was said or seen, in the learner's own words, with the date, time and who was there.

3. Do not investigate, search a device, confront the family or ask the learner to show you material. Never copy or forward extremist content, even to report it; note where you saw it.

4. If you cannot reach any DSL and you are worried, contact the Sheffield Safeguarding Hub on 0114 273 4855, or South Yorkshire Police on 101 asking for the Prevent team. Anyone can make a referral.

8.3 What the DSL does

The DSL decides within the hour what happens next, and records the decision and reasons on Connect. The DSL may:

• talk with the learner, the key mentor and the referring school's DSL to understand the concern;

• seek advice from the South Yorkshire Police Prevent team (101, ask for Prevent) or the local authority Prevent lead;

• make a Prevent referral through the Sheffield Safeguarding Hub or the police Prevent team, or both, using the form they direct us to;

• make a child protection referral to the Hub where a child may be at risk of significant harm, including from radicalisation within the family;

• report information about possible terrorist activity to the Anti-Terrorist Hotline (0800 789 321), and report online terrorist content through the government's online reporting form on GOV.UK, telling the Director so filtering can be checked;

• use the DfE counter-extremism helpline (020 7340 7264; counter.extremism@education.gov.uk) for non-emergency advice;

• put support in place here, such as mentoring, counselling, targeted curriculum work or Early Help.

8.4 Telling parents and the referring school

We usually tell parents or carers and involve them. Where telling them could increase the risk, for example if the family may be involved, the DSL takes advice from the police Prevent team or the Hub first and records the reason. The DSL tells the referring school's DSL the same day, and the commissioning local authority in line with the Safeguarding and Child Protection policy.

8.5 Channel

The police assess each Prevent referral. If it is suitable, the case goes to the Channel panel, chaired by the local authority, which agrees a tailored support plan. This may include specialist mentoring, education, mental health or family support. Channel is voluntary, so the learner, and usually their parent or carer, must agree. We attend panels when invited, share relevant information, help deliver the plan and keep supporting the learner. If a case is not taken into Channel, we continue with any other support agreed. A Prevent concern never leads to exclusion.

8.6 Concerns about an adult

If a member of staff, volunteer, partner or visitor expresses extremist views, shares extremist material or tries to influence a learner, tell the Director the same day. The Director manages it under the Managing Allegations Against Staff and Low-Level Concerns policy, contacting the LADO and the police Prevent team as needed. Concerns about the Director go to the SWMC Chair. Staff can also use the Whistleblowing policy.

9. Training

• Before any contact with learners, every adult completes Prevent training at levels 1 to 3: the Home Office Prevent duty courses (awareness, referrals and Channel awareness) or an accredited equivalent.

• The full training is renewed at least every two years. Every adult also has an annual Prevent refresh as part of the annual safeguarding update, led by the Head of AP.

• The DSL and Deputy keep up to date with local Prevent briefings and the local risk picture.

• Completion and expiry dates sit on the Connect training matrix, with alerts before they lapse. Nobody works with learners without current training.

10. Building resilience: British values and critical thinking

We actively promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. In RESET:

• Democracy: the weekly Respect Circle, the termly pupil forum and learners' say in reviewing the menu each half term.

• Rule of law: the Respect lessons on rights, the police, the courts and discrimination and the law; the Respect Code; restorative Repair.

• Individual liberty: real choices within clear boundaries, and lessons on consent and healthy relationships.

• Mutual respect: the Respect Code, Family Table, food and culture from learners' own families, and lessons on equality and misogyny.

Critical thinking runs through the curriculum. English teaches persuasive writing, debate and journalism, so learners can spot how arguments are built. The Tech mastery pillar and IT lessons teach how apps and algorithms hook users, how AI and deepfakes work, how to check a source, and how to recognise and report harmful content and contact.

Discussion of difficult and controversial issues is welcome. Staff give balanced information, do not promote their own political views, and challenge hateful views calmly by asking where they came from rather than shutting the learner down. A learner is never punished for asking a difficult question. Staff tell the DSL where a view suggests risk.

11. External speakers and visitors

1. The member of staff inviting a speaker, workshop leader or organisation (in person or online) completes a speaker request on Connect at least five working days before.

2. The Administrator searches online for the speaker and their organisation, including against the Home Office list of proscribed organisations.

3. The Director approves or refuses, recording the reason.

4. The speaker agrees in writing to our values: no promoting discrimination or violence, no recruiting and no one-sided campaigning. Materials are shared in advance where possible.

5. On the day, the speaker's ID is checked, they sign in, wear a lanyard and are escorted. A member of staff is present throughout and stops the session if the agreement is broken, telling the DSL.

12. IT filtering and monitoring

• All Care Cove devices and networks are filtered and monitored. We require our provider to be a member of the Internet Watch Foundation, to block the police Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit list, and to block illegal content.

• Learner phones are docked all day, so learners go online on site only through our managed devices.

• Monitoring alerts in extremism and terrorism categories go to the DSL and the Director straight away. An attempt to reach extremist content is treated as a possible safeguarding concern, not just a technical event.

• The annual filtering and monitoring check includes testing that extremist content is blocked.

• Staff must not search for or download extremist material. If a reported site needs checking, the DSL takes advice from the police Prevent team.

The Online Safety and Acceptable Use policy gives the full detail.

13. Lettings and shared use of the building

• 37 Townhead Street is shared with Care Cove Short Breaks and Dreams Are Real CIC. The written zoning plan and staggered entry keep the AP separate.

• Any use of our space by an outside group needs the Director's written approval after checks on the group, its purpose and any speakers. The hire agreement bans extremist speakers, material and recruitment, and lets us cancel at once. There are no lettings in AP areas during AP hours. A record of lettings is kept.

• Posters, leaflets and stickers in or around the building need staff approval. Extremist stickers or graffiti are removed promptly, photographed for the record and reported to the DSL.

• On outdoor classroom sessions, if staff meet leafleting, recruitment or protest activity, they move the group away calmly and tell the DSL.

14. Records

Every Prevent concern, decision, referral and outcome is recorded in the learner's Connect chronology, which is append-only. Information is shared only through secure routes. When a learner leaves, the DSL transfers safeguarding information, including any Prevent concerns, to the receiving setting's DSL, with a direct conversation where helpful.

15. Monitoring and review

The DSL reports anonymised Prevent concerns, referrals and outcomes, training compliance, and the speakers and lettings log to the SWMC termly. The annual independent external safeguarding audit covers Prevent. This policy and the risk assessment are reviewed annually, or sooner after an incident, a change in law or guidance, or a contract change.

16. Related policies

• 01 Safeguarding and Child Protection
• 02 Safer Recruitment
• 03 Managing Allegations Against Staff and Low-Level Concerns
• 04 Whistleblowing
• 06 Online Safety and Acceptable Use
• 10 Mobile Phones and Digital Devices
• 13 Curriculum, Teaching and Assessment
• 17 Data Protection, Retention and Information Sharing
• 18 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
• 26 Off-site Learning and Educational Visits
• 28 Site Security, Visitors and CCTV
• 29 Anti-Bullying

Appendix A: Key contacts

The DSL re-checks these contacts before each ratification.

Document control and ratification

This policy is signed off by the Designated Safeguarding Lead and the Head of Alternative Provision, and ratified by the Social Work Management Committee. It is reviewed every year, or sooner after an incident or a change in law, statutory guidance or contract requirements, and it is available to any commissioning local authority on request.