Name: _________________________________________
Date: _________________
Year Group: _________
📊 The UK Picture — What the Data Says
8,778
Prevent referrals in England & Wales
2024/25 — a record high (Home Office)
21%
of referrals were for right-wing extremism — the largest ideological category (Home Office)
36%
of referrals came from schools & education — the largest referring sector (Home Office)
1,472
people were adopted into Channel early support in 2024/25 — 54% of all referrals were under 18 (Home Office)
Source: Home Office (2025). Individuals Referred to and Supported Through the Prevent Programme, year ending March 2025. gov.uk
Types of extremism in the UK (2024/25)
Right-wing extremism
21% of referrals
White nationalism, neo-Nazism, incel ideology. Primarily spread online.
Islamist extremism
10% of referrals
ISIL/Daesh and Al-Qaeda inspired ideology.
No clear ideology / MUU
34% of referrals
No defined ideology — the largest single group. Most common in young people.
All remaining categories
~35% combined
Conflicted, left-wing, anarchist and single-issue concerns (e.g. eco-extremism, animal rights extremism)
⚠️ Common misconception: Prevent is not only about one religion. Right-wing extremism has been the largest single category of Prevent referrals since 2019. Extremism has no single face — it comes from across the political and ideological spectrum.
🔍 What Is Radicalisation?
Radicalisation is a process by which someone gradually comes to support extremist views — including the use of violence for political, ideological, or religious reasons. It is not a sudden event. It can take weeks, months, or years.
Because it is a process, it can be interrupted and reversed at any stage — especially early on. That's why Prevent focuses on early identification and support, not punishment.
Why does it happen? Push and pull factors
⬆️ Push factors
Things that make someone more vulnerable:
- Social isolation or loneliness
- Personal grievance (feeling treated unjustly)
- Identity confusion or crisis
- Mental health difficulties
- Experience of discrimination
- Bereavement or trauma
⬇️ Pull factors
What extremist groups offer:
- A sense of belonging and identity
- A simple explanation for complex problems
- A community of "like-minded" people
- Purpose, excitement, and validation
- A cause that feels righteous or important
- Status within a group
Understanding push and pull factors helps explain why radicalisation is treated as a vulnerability — not just a criminal choice. Most people who are radicalised started from a place of pain, not malice.
⚠️ Warning Signs — In Yourself or Others
These are signs that someone may be becoming radicalised. They are not proof — they are reasons to talk to a trusted adult.
What they say or write
- Justifying violence for political or religious reasons
- Dehumanising language about a group of people
- Glorifying attacks, terrorists, or "martyrs"
- Strong us-versus-them thinking — a specific group as "the enemy"
What they do
- New friends with extreme views — often older
- Withdrawal from family, old friends, and activities
- Secretive about online activity — new accounts, encrypted apps
- Accessing or sharing extremist content
- Talking about travelling to conflict zones
- Significant unexplained changes in appearance or behaviour
Remember: One sign on its own may not mean anything. It's patterns and combinations that matter. And telling a trusted adult about a concern is not a betrayal — it is an act of care that can change someone's life.
🏛️ Fundamental British Values
Schools are required by law to actively promote these five values. They form the foundation of the Prevent approach — because extremism directly attacks all of them.
🗳️
Democracy — the right to vote, stand for election, and have your voice heard. Decisions are made through democratic processes, not violence.
⚖️
The Rule of Law — laws apply to everyone equally. They are made and changed through democratic means, not force. No belief system places anyone above the law.
🗽
Individual Liberty — the right to make your own choices within the law. Freedom of thought, speech, and belief — protected for everyone, not just the majority.
🤝
Mutual Respect — recognising the dignity of all people, regardless of difference. Challenging language or behaviour that dehumanises others.
🌍
Tolerance of different faiths and beliefs — in a plural society, we accept that others hold different views. Tolerance does not mean agreement — it means coexistence with respect.
Source: Prevent Duty Guidance 2023 (Home Office) · DfE guidance on promoting British values · Education Act 2002, s.78
🔵 What Is Channel? (Early Intervention — Not Punishment)
Channel is a voluntary government programme that offers support to people who may be at risk of being drawn into terrorism. It is not a criminal process. There is no criminal record and no prosecution. Participation requires consent.
1
Identification: A teacher, family member, or friend notices the warning signs and tells the school's DSL (Designated Safeguarding Lead).
2
Referral: The DSL refers to the police Prevent team or local authority. This triggers an assessment — not an automatic intervention.
3
Assessment: Trained practitioners assess whether Channel support is appropriate. Many referrals are signposted elsewhere — not all proceed to Channel.
4
Panel and consent: A multi-agency panel meets. The person (and their family if under 18) must consent before any support begins.
5
Support: Tailored help — mentoring, mental health support, education, faith engagement, or employment support. Regular review. Case closes when the person is no longer vulnerable.
Source: Home Office (2023). Channel Duty Guidance 2023. gov.uk
✏️ Activity — Scenario Discussion
In your group, discuss these two scenarios. Use the warning signs list and what you've learned about push/pull factors.
Scenario A:
Jordan has started posting extreme content online — sharing videos that blame a specific ethnic group for all of society's problems, using dehumanising language. When challenged, he says he's "just telling the truth" and "everyone else is too scared to say it." His close friends have changed. He's spending more time in online forums.
Scenario B:
Amara has become very withdrawn. She told you she feels like "no one understands what she's going through" and that "the system is designed to keep people like us down." She's been spending a lot of time on apps you've never heard of and seems to have new online "friends" who are adults. She mentioned something about a group that "gets it."
What warning signs do you notice?
What push or pull factors might be present?
What would you do? Who would you tell?
📞 If You're Concerned — Who to Tell
- At school: Tell a trusted teacher, form tutor, or the school's Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
- ACT Early — actearly.campaign.gov.uk — for anyone concerned about a friend or family member
- Anti-Terrorist Hotline: 0800 789 321 — free, 24/7, anonymous
- Childline: 0800 1111 — free, 24/7 — you can talk about anything
- Emergency: 999
Telling someone is not a betrayal. It is an act of care that can save a life — including theirs.