What is PREVENT?
PREVENT is the name given to a national strategy which aims to stop people from becoming violent extremists or supporting terrorism. Channel is the process that supports people at risk of being drawn towards terrorism or violent extremism.
Contest
Contest is the United Kingdom’s counter-terrorism strategy published in 2011 which incorporates Government policies on counter-terrorism. The aim of Contest is to reduce the risk to the UK and its interests overseas from terrorism so that people can go about their lives freely and with confidence.
UK Government Counter Terrorism Strategy (2018)
PREVENT
The Government’s PREVENT strategy is a key part of its counter-terrorism strategy called Contest. It aims to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism and seeks to respond to the ideological challenge of terrorism and the threat posed by those who promote it. It aims to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and to work with sectors and institutions where there are risks of radicalisation.
Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015
The Counter Terrorism and Security Act (CTSA) 2015 came into force in July 2015. It creates a statutory duty to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism. This duty applies to public bodies (such as local authorities, police, some NHS bodies, schools, further and higher education providers, probation, prisons and youth offender services. The duty also applies to private providers supplying public functions for example, in the education sector. The local authority has a duty to lead the coordination of local partners in actively preventing people from being drawn into terrorism.
Counter Terrorism and Security Act (2015)
Updated PREVENT Duty Guidance (Updated 2021)
This document provides guidance on the duty on specified authorities in the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015.
Prevent Duty Guidance (Updated 2021)
Channel Process
The Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 introduced the ‘Channel’ process. Channel is a multi-agency safeguarding programme providing tailored support to people who have been identified as at risk of being drawn into terrorism. The support offered can come from any of the partners on the Panel which includes the local authority, police, education and health providers. The person’s engagement in the programme is voluntary at all stages. This guidance is intended for members of a panel and partners of local panels in England and Wales on the duty to provide support for people vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism. Updated guidance was issued in 2020.
Channel Duty Guidance (2020)