Agenda item

Finola Culbert, Director of Targeted and Specialist Children’s Services, introduced the report on how Children’s Services had responded to the Prevent duty.

The following main points were noted in the discussion:

·         A strategy group had been established to consider how to respond to Prevent and an action plan had been produced. It was commented that the Prevent agenda covered sensitive and complex areas and it was essential to bring together colleagues with a range of knowledge and skills to respond to Prevent effectively.

·         Engagement with schools was an essential part of the Prevent strategy. It was important to ensure that schools were meeting their obligations effectively. Elizabeth Garrett Anderson and Newington Green Primary had been appointed as the two schools to lead on the Prevent agenda locally. Their role was to provide support to other schools on how to implement Prevent. 

·         It was emphasised that Prevent was about safeguarding vulnerable young people with complex needs. It was commented that, if young people were vulnerable to radicalisation, then they would most likely be vulnerable in other ways too.

·         It was essential for those working with young people, including school and council staff, to be appropriately trained on the Prevent duty. Effective training reduced the anxiety of staff and resulted in better targeted referrals. 

·         Although the Prevent strategy action plan was largely RAG rated ‘green’, it was commented that this was to be revised and re-focused on areas in need of improvement.

·         A member asked how many Prevent referrals had been made. In response, it was commented that the numbers were very sensitive, however the Prevent agenda covered a wide spectrum of activity and, whilst people were right to be concerned about the threat of radicalisation, some referrals had previously been made following fairly low-level concerns. It was commented that Prevent had now bedded in and schools and teachers were taking a more balanced view.

·         Officers commented that it was essential that the Prevent agenda did not restrict the school curriculum or young people from expressing political opinions.

·         A member queried if the Council worked to implement Prevent with supplementary schools and those who were home schooling their children. In response, it was advised that the Safeguarding Children Board had ensured that all voluntary sector organisations and supplementary schools had access to safeguarding materials, which included information on Prevent, although there was no obligation for this to be taken up. Training taken up by supplementary schools was logged and the impact monitored.

·         In response to a question, it was advised that training was provided by both internal and external trainers and through specific online resources. Prevent training had been integrated into safeguarding training, and schools had embedded Prevent activities into PSHE and Citizenship.

·         A member queried if officers could elaborate on the three school girls from Bethnal Green who travelled to Syria. In response, officers advised that such cases were discussed between local authorities to facilitate cross-borough learning, however the details were very sensitive.

·         A member expressed concern at the recent increase in hate-crime, commenting that this was fuelled by islamophobic material published in the media, and compared this to anti-Irish sentiment in the 1970s.

RESOLVED:

i)       That the report be noted;

ii)      That a further update be received in one year’s time.