Thousands of children and teenagers have been flagged up to the Government’s anti-terror programme, official figures show.
The first detailed Home Office analysis of Prevent reveals that 2,127 of those referred to the scheme in 2015/16 were under 15, including more than 500 girls.
Another 2,147 individuals reported for potential intervention over extremism concerns were aged between 15 and 20.
Home Office figures show that over the period of 12 months, some 20 people a day are being referred to a specialist scheme to help prevent all forms of radicalism
Some 10 per cent of the referrals nationwide relate to those involved in far right activities
In one case a nine-year-old boy from west London was helped by the programme after standing up in class at school and declaring that he supported Islamic State. He had found and watched ISIS execution videos online.
It means more than half of the 7,631 people referred in the 12 months to March 2016 were aged 20 or under.
Prevent aims to reduce the threat to the UK by stopping people being drawn into terrorism.
The initiative is part of the Government’s overarching counter-terror strategy known as Contest, which was first drawn up in 2003.
Anyone who is concerned about a person they think may be at risk of radicalisation can refer them to Prevent.
Only a small percentage of referrals are ultimately deemed to require intervention in the anti-extremism sphere.
When authorities conclude there is a risk relating to extremism, the individual can be given support through the Channel scheme.
Engagement with Channel is voluntary and it is not a criminal sanction.
The new Home Office report on the 7,631 referrals to Prevent in 2015/16 show:
- 2,766 (36 per cent) left the process requiring no further action
- 3,793 (50 per cent) were ‘signposted’ to alternative services
- 1,072 (14 per cent) were assessed as suitable to be discussed at a multi-agency Channel panel
Of the cases examined by Channel, 381 subsequently received support through the programme, including 108 who were under 15.
The Home Office said that of those who have left the Channel process, more than four in five were judged to have had their vulnerability to being drawn into terrorism reduced.
Prevent is aimed at all forms of extremism.
The figures show almost 5,000, or just under two-thirds, of referrals in 2015/16 related to concerns about Islamist extremism while 759 (10 per cent) were linked to right-wing extremism.
Of the 4,997 referred over Islamist extremism, three in 10 were under 15, the data shows.
The largest proportion referred in relation to Islamist concerns were from London, at 28 per cent.
Of those flagged up over right-wing extremism the largest proportion were from the North East at 21 per cent. Those referred over right-wing concerns were proportionately more likely to receive Channel support.
Prevent has repeatedly come under fire, with critics labelling it heavy-handed and ‘toxic’ amid claims it unfairly focuses on the Muslim community.
But police and ministers say it is a crucial plank of wider counter-extremism efforts.
The programme has been credited with playing a role in disrupting more than 150 attempted journeys to the conflicts in Iraq and Syria.
In July 2015, authorities including councils and schools were placed under a statutory requirement, known as the Prevent duty, to stop people being drawn into terrorism.
The figures show a sharp jump in referrals following the introduction of the duty, while officials say the increase may also have been linked to the Paris attacks in November 2015.