Prevent

The Prevent strategy is part of the UK Counter Terrorism Strategy (CONTEST), based on the Counter Terrorism and Security Act of 2015.  It requires public bodies, including local authorities, the police, prisons, providers of probation services, schools, colleges, and universities to act to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism, ensuring awareness of the risks of terrorism.

The duty helps to ensure that people who are susceptible to radicalisation are supported as they would be under safeguarding processes.

The main aim of Prevent is to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.

Prevent has three main objectives:

• to tackle the ideological causes of terrorism.
• to intervene early to support people susceptible to radicalisation.
• to enable people who have already engaged in terrorism to disengage and rehabilitate.

Prevent Referrals

Prevent referrals should be made via your local authority using the National Prevent Referral Form

Reading:

1. Calling the Team on:

• 0118 937 3747 (01344 786 543 out-of-hours emergencies only) – for adults
• 0118 937 3641 (01344 786 543 out-of-hours emergencies only) – for children

2. Emailing the Team on adults@reading.gov.uk
3. Email Prevent National Referral Forms to: preventreferralsreading@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

 West Berkshire:

1. Calling the team on 01635 519056
2. Emailing the team on safeguardingadults@westberks.gov.uk
3. Email Prevent National Referral Forms to: preventreferralswestberkshire@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

Wokingham:

1. Calling the team on 0118 974 6371
2. Emailing the team on adultsafeguardinghub@wokingham.gov.uk
3. Email Prevent National Referral Forms to: preventreferralswokingham@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

Referrals or Prevent related concerns to be submitted to the email addresses above, dependent on the Local Authority Area.

When sending referrals to this email address, please ensure all biographical details are included e.g. full name of the person being referred, DOB, address. Other useful information should be included where possible e.g. details of family members, social media details, phone numbers. The referrer should also include their name, role and contact details. When explaining the reason for the referral, please provide as much information and context as possible to help us make an assessment.

This is managed daily during office hours Monday to Friday. A member of the Thames Valley Police Prevent Team will contact you to take further information or provide advice. If you have immediate concerns or you need to contact outside of these hours please call 101 and ask for the on call Special Branch Sergeant.

Prevent Training Offer

Prevent eLearning

The Home Office provide free online training on Prevent Awareness, Referrals and Chanel Awareness, as well as a Prevent Refresher please use links below to access.

Prevent Awareness

This offers an introduction to the Prevent Duty and explains how it aims to safeguard vulnerable people from being radicalised to supporting terrorism or becoming terrorists themselves.

Site address: http://www.elearning.prevent.homeoffice.gov.uk

Prevent Referrals

This package builds on the Prevent awareness eLearning training. It is designed to make sure that when we share a concern that a vulnerable individual may be being radicalised, that the referral is robust, informed and with good intention, and that the response to that concern is considered, and proportionate.

Site address: https://www.elearning.prevent.homeoffice.gov.uk/preventreferral

Channel Awareness

This training package is for anyone who may be asked to contribute to, sit on, or even run a Channel Panel. It is aimed at all levels, from a professional asked to input and attend for the first time, to a member of staff new to their role and organising a panel meeting.

Site address: https://www.elearning.prevent.homeoffice.gov.uk/channelawareness

Prevent Refresher

You must have previously completed the awareness course before beginning this refresher course.

This course is for anyone who has already completed the awareness course and would like a reminder of the key points. We suggest you do this course every year, however you should refer to your local Prevent training policy for advice.

Site Address: http://www.support-people-vulnerable-to-radicalisation.service.gov.uk/portal#refresher-awareness-course

Other useful information

West Berkshire Council has a dedicated page to prevention which provides advice and guidance about preventing domestic abuse, radicalisation and exploitation: https://info.westberks.gov.uk/article/35472/Prevention

Thames Valley Police has a page which explains the role of Prevent Team officers: https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/t/prevent/prevent/

Counter Terrorism Police have launched a safeguarding website www.actearly.uk aimed at family and friends to encourage them to share concerns that a friend or loved one might be vulnerable to radicalisation. A Partners Toolkit on how to promote the website can be found here: https://www.counterterrorism.police.uk/actearlypartners/

The partnership wish to thank the Berkshire West Safeguarding Children Partnership for the support with writing this guide, their PREVENT guidance can be found here: https://www.berkshirewestsafeguardingchildrenpartnership.org.uk/scp/parents-and-carers/prevent