Preventing radicalisation and extremism
CONTEST is the UK’s strategy for countering terrorism. It involves many partners working together, including us.
CONTEST is made up of four ‘P’ work strands:
- Prevent – to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism
- Pursue – to stop terrorist attacks through disruption, investigation, and detection
- Protect – to strengthen our protection against a terrorist attack
- Prepare – to mitigate the impact of a terrorist attack
What is Prevent?
- The purpose of Prevent is to stop people becoming terrorists or being drawn towards terrorism
- Prevent operates in a pre-criminal space, providing support and re-direction to vulnerable individuals at risk of being groomed into terrorist activities before any crimes are committed
It aims to:
- Tackle the causes of radicalisation
- Respond to the ideological challenge of terrorism
- Safeguard and support those most at risk of radicalisation
- Enable people already engaged in terrorism to disengage and rehabilitate
- Safeguard vulnerable people
See the Gov.UK website for more information about Prevent.
What is the Prevent Duty?
- Section 26 of the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 places a statutory duty on ‘specified authorities’, in the exercise of their functions. To have ‘due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism’
- The duty also applies to our partners in Health, Policing, Education, Prison, and Probation Services
What is Channel?
Following assessment of any referral where there is ideological/ CT risk, the individual case will be presented to the Channel Panel who will decide whether there is sufficient risk to adopt the case.
The panel assesses the extent of the potential vulnerability of the person, identifies the level of support required and offers the individual a support package tailored to their needs.
Participation in Channel is entirely voluntary.
What we do
We work with our staff and partner organisations to:
- help identify and challenge extremism in an appropriate way
- provide learning opportunities to support our staff to identify those at risk of radicalisation and know how to refer them for support
- Deliver a multi-agency Channel panel to develop and deliver bespoke support plans to those most vulnerable to radicalisation
Reporting a concern
Notice – Check – Share
- Notice – are you concerned about someone? Noticed a change in behaviour? Have they said something concerning? Are they displaying signs or symbols that suggest affiliation with a terrorist or extremist group?
- Check – check it out with the person or group that you are concerned about, (if appropriate). There may be an innocent explanation, or check it out with a trusted colleague. Still concerned?
- Share – share with your line manager/ safeguarding lead. Complete a referral to the safeguarding or Prevent team.
To make a referral (and for advice and guidance) please contact:
- [email protected]
- Phone: 101 ext. 341166
- Northants Police Online - Tell us about possible terrorist activity
- ACT Early Support Line – Phone: 0800 011 3764 (9am to 5pm every day)
If you’ve seen or heard something that could potentially be related to terrorism, trust your instincts and report it. Your actions could save lives.
- Report online
- Anti-terror Hotline – 0800 789321
Additional Resources
ACT Early – a website full of information, support and guidance if you are concerned about someone.
Northamptonshire Prevent Partnership
Our Local Partnership Commitment:
‘As a partnership we commit to working together to provide the necessary expertise, skill, and leadership to provide a strategic and effective response to identifying and supporting those at risk of radicalisation, understanding fully the nature of the threat and risk to our communities and increasing awareness and understanding of Prevent by those who work with us and the communities for whom we work.’
Channel Panel escalation process
- The Channel Panel will report into the Northamptonshire Prevent Steering Group (PSG) for scrutiny and oversight
- The escalation process would be in the first instance to discuss with the chair of the Channel Panel and further escalations made via the PSG to the relevant Local Authority’s Executive Director for Adults, Communities and Wellbeing (DASS)
You can contact the Northamptonshire Prevent Partnership by email to [email protected].
Last updated 18 May 2023