What does it mean to prevent radicalisation?

Radicalisation is a process where an individual starts to support terrorism and ideologies by extremists who are associated or linked to a terrorist group.

Preventing radicalisation is the process and/ or efforts used to reduce the threat of radicalisation by being vigilant, know what to report as well as the step of reporting.

What is the Prevent Duty?

The government of the Uks’ strategy to battle terrorism is known as CONTEST which includes the Prevent Duty.

The duty has three specific agendas as below:

1. Tackle the ideological causes of terrorism
2. Intervene early to support individuals that are susceptible to radicalisation
3. Enable and encourage any individual who have engaged in terrorism to disengage and rehabilitate

What are indicators that a child or young person may be radicalized?

Being able to recognize potential radicalisation in young people and children is crucial; there are several types of indicators to stay vigilant of, however, these signs are not always obvious but would be seen as red flags:

• Withdrawal from family and friends: a young person or a child who is being radicalized may isolate themselves from friends and family or change their circle of friends.
• Hostility towards others: the increase of aggression and hostility towards others is an indicator; this could apparent as verbal aggression, intolerance or violence.
• Talking as if they are speaking from a script: if they continually express themselves as if they are making use of a scripted language or phrases; this could possibly indicate influence from extreme ideologies.
• Unwillingness to discuss views: a young person or child who avoids discussing their views or become unwilling to engage or be involved in open conversations about their beliefs might be at risk.
• Increased levels of anger: heightened anger and frustration may come from radicalisation which may be obvious or noticeable in their behaviour.
• Increased online activity: spending increased amounts of time online; sharing their views or extreme views on social media and gaming or video platforms.

What are the responsibilities of a healthcare professional in the context of preventing radicalisation?

1. Awareness: stay informed about the signs, indicators and risk factors of radicalisation.
2. Risk assessment: be vigilant in assessing the risk of radicalisation among the individuals you come into contact with during your work.
3. Confidentiality and information sharing: understand the importance of maintaining confidentiality but also recognize when there is a duty to share information.
4. Safeguarding training: participate in preventing radicalisation training programs provided by your organization or local authorities.
5. Referral and support: if you identify an individual at risk of radicalisation, refer them to the appropriate channels within your organization or external agencies.
6. Collaborative working: engage in multi-agency collaboration to ensure a coordinated approach to safeguarding individuals at risk of radicalization.
7. Record keeping: maintain accurate and detailed records of any concerns, actions taken and/ or referrals made.
8. Continuous professional development: stay updated with the latest guidance, legislations and best practices related to preventing radicalisation and safeguarding.

Just a note:

Doing an online Preventing Radicalisation (Level 1 and 2) Course with Train Healthcare, which takes approximately 1 hour to complete, will earn you 1 CPD Point. Once you have completed the course, you would receive a certificate thereof.