Two-thirds of Prevent referrals for children made by schools and colleges were returned to education settings – and in almost all of these the cases (93 per cent) the children received no support from Prevent.
This is according to the Children’s Commissioner’s latest report on the government’s counter extremism programme.
The study describes a system with a great deal of worry about children, seeking somewhere for them to get help, or someone to hold responsibility for them, and not finding it.
The Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza recommends that children currently sent to Prevent should be assessed through local safeguarding teams – which should include Counter Terrorism Policing – and directed to the right support.
The call to action comes as Phase 2 of the Southport Inquiry prepares to examine the ‘adequacy of arrangements in England and Wales for managing the risk from violence fixated individuals’ following question raised about Prevent in the first phase.
The Children’s Commissioner’s report shows the number of Prevent referrals involving children has increased substantially from 2,918 in 2016-17 to 4,715 in 2024-25.
New analysis of official figures shows most cases referred to Prevent involving children (71 per cent) did not have a clear ideology. Sector professionals say many referrals are linked to wider vulnerabilities including exposure to harmful content, violence fixation, exploitation or unmet needs.
Professionals interviewed for the report were deeply concerned about children being drawn into radicalisation and violence online.
The Commissioner’s analysis shows of the 4,715 Prevent referrals involving children between April 2024 and March 2025, 79 per cent were closed without progressing through the Prevent programme.
Referrals without a clear ideology were less likely to progress to a Channel discussion (86%) than those with defined ideology (60%).
The report also includes new data that reveals in 2024-25, nearly three in five referrals came from education settings, yet at least 65 per cent of these cases referred by schools and colleges were returned to education settings when the referral was closed and 93 per cent of these cases were never discussed at panel or progressed through the programme.
The Commissioner’s report also found that information on children’s mental health and neurodevelopmental needs was missing from 60 per cent of referrals. Where conditions were recorded, autism accounted for 16 per cent of conditions in referrals, whereas the estimated prevalence among all school-aged children is around three percent.
The report recommends that the Home Office and Department for Education should issue joint statutory guidance on children who pose a risk to others. This should require that all children where there is a concern that they might commit violence or other forms of harm are referred to the Multi Agency Child Protection team – which should include Counter Terrorism Policing where needed – in the child’s local area.
