Safeguarding People Using a Care Service Who Are Vulnerable to Adopting Extremist and Radical Ideologies Policy

Policy Statement

This policy is in line with the UK Government’s Revised Prevent Guidance (2021), issued under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 and national and local children’s and adults’ safeguarding policies. It should be used with reference to the Prevent Duty (Counter-terrorism) Policy.

The policy shows how {{org_field_name}} protects any vulnerable people using the service from harm caused by exposure to extremist and radical views, which, if accepted, can lead to their committing criminal and terrorist acts and causing harm to themselves.

It uses the following working definitions recognising that neither radicalisation nor extremism refers to a specific religious or political movement but can apply to different ideologies and movements.

Radicalisation is the process of making a person more disposed to using violent means or acts of terrorism to effect changes in political, economic or social conditions, institutions and regimes.

Extremism is the holding of political or religious views that could lead to violent or terrorist actions, which the views encourage or condone.

Background

The Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 places a duty on public bodies such as local and health authorities to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and terrorist associated behaviour following a process of radicalisation.

The updated Revised Prevent Guidance (2021) updates the UK Government Prevent strategy, the objectives of which are:

to respond to the ideological challenge of terrorism and the threat faced from those who promote it
to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure that they are given appropriate advice and support
to work with sectors and institutions where there are risks of radicalisation that should be addressed.

{{org_field_name}} will help to achieve these objectives and putting Prevent into practice by:

Challenging violent extremist ideology and support for it
Disrupting those who promote violent extremism and in the places where they may be active
Supporting individuals who are being targeted and recruited to the cause of violent extremism
Increasing the resilience of the service as a whole to withstanding radicalisation and extremism particularly where the risks are relatively high
Addressing the political, religious, social, cultural and economic grievances that are being exploited through the extremist ideology and behaviour. (See also separate Prevent policy.)

Links to Safeguarding

This policy is linked to the service’s other safeguarding policies that describe the provider’s strategy for protecting vulnerable people using the service from being harmed in any way. All safeguarding policies reflect the service’s commitment to working in partnership with the local children’s and adults’ safeguarding authorities on all safeguarding issues that might arise.

In respect of anti-radicalisation the service will follow local authority policies and guidance for assessing and managing risks, staff training, information sharing and local intervention programmes such as Channel. The service will also work closely with other community organisations, including the police, that share a common anti-radicalisation agenda.

Procedures

Principles and Values

The service ensures that people using its service are treated with respect and sensitivity for their attitudes and beliefs and challenges facing them as people with vulnerabilities in their daily lives. It adheres firmly to its policies on equality, diversity and social inclusion and exercises fully its responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010.

As a result of our approach to the people using the service, we encourage them to treat one another and people generally with respect and to accept differences of personal beliefs, values, cultures and religions. We also promote and encourage constructive and open means of resolving conflicts and differences through, for example, our complaints and grievances procedures.

By promoting open and honest communications, relationships and always having support available to people using the service who are experiencing difficulties in their lives, the service aims to reduce susceptibility to radicalisation and to be able to detect quickly anyone who could be susceptible and take the necessary action to prevent further exposure.

Assessing and Managing Risks

In line with government policy and guidance {{org_field_name}} is adopting a risk-based approach to its anti-radicalisation agenda. It does this through:

its individual risk assessments, which identify susceptibilities to radicalisation or actual involvement in the process
regular risk assessments of the community contexts and environments that might attract and expose vulnerable people using the service to a radicalisation process.

Identifying Risks

The service recognises the difficulties in assessing an individual’s susceptibility to radicalisation and to differentiate this from other risky behaviour that can also cause harm. However, it will take particular note of the following, which, with as much involvement of the person as possible, can be made subject to further monitoring, assessment and, where necessary, active intervention.

Pre-existing influences in the person’s background, history or upbringing and continuing identification with these.
Open identification with the radical cause and seeking to actively engage with it.
Expressions of race, religious and other forms of hatred that might border on the criminal or be criminal.
Indifference or endorsement of the outcomes of terrorist activities.
Clear signs of conversion such as change of dress or adoption of symbols.
Changes in attitude and behaviour away from consensual values to more extreme views.
Secretive behavior, eg, an unwillingness to share or discuss openly current attitudes and beliefs.
Confused thinking and possibly a decline in mental health.
Evidence of internet and social media activity suggestive of interest or engagement with extreme groups and their opinions.
Encouraging other people to be interested to take part in extremist discussions or activities.
Has friends and social networks identifying with an extremist position.

Staff Actions

The service expects its staff to follow its safeguarding duties in this as in other areas of safeguarding practice by:

being alert to the possibility of any people using the service being exposed to extremist agendas
engaging positively with the person at risk, discuss and if necessary challenge expressions of racist or extremist views or behaviour
reporting and recording any incidents suggestive of anyone’s interest or engagement in radicalisation, including internet activity
raising any issues as a safeguarding alert following local safeguarding procedures where there is evidence of a person being harmed or is at risk of harm from their participation
working closely with social workers and local safeguarding teams on any follow up action such as involvement with Channel programmes
working where required with the police over suspected or committee criminal acts
being familiar with and become involved, where appropriate, in local CHANNEL programmes and related activities.

Staff as Potential Influencers of Radical and Extreme Views

{{org_field_name}} is aware of the possibility that its staff too might exploit the vulnerabilities of the people using the service and engage in their radicalisation by promoting extremism in whatever form it might take.

{{org_field_name}} counteracts these possibilities through:

adopting robust safe recruitment and selection procedures that screen any applicant out, who might present a risk
staff training from induction onwards in the service’s entire safeguarding policies and procedures
regular monitoring and supervision at which any advertent or inadvertent risks posed by the staff member’s behaviour are discussed and resolved
appraisals and keeping staff training in these issues up to date.

Training

All staff will be made familiar with the service’s safeguarding policies, including this anti-radicalisation policy during induction.

Staff will take part in any local dedicated training on anti-radicalisation issues.

Managers will receive training in the local and national policy implications of the government’s anti-radicalisation, anti-extremism agendas and keep their training up to date.

Managers will also keep this policy under review in the light of national and local developments and amend as needed.

Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}

Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}

Next review date: this policy is reviewed annualy (every 12 months). When needed, this policy is also updated in response to changes in legislation, regulation, best practices, or organisational changes.

S169. Safeguarding People Using a Care Service Who Are Vulnerable to Adopting Extremist and Radical Ideologies