Prevent Duty Training
The chances are, you’ve already heard of the Prevent Duty if you work in education in the United Kingdom, but have you ever taken a Prevent Duty training course?
Every member of staff who works in a school or education setting in the United Kingdom, or who is employed or self-employed as a childcare provider, is subject to a duty under Section 26 of the Counter Terrorism and Security Act to ‘have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.’ This is known as the Prevent Duty.
All teachers working in the United Kingdom have a responsibility to fulfil the Prevent duty. What this means is, you need to be able to identify children who are vulnerable to radicalisation and you need to know what steps you should take once those individuals have been identified.
Here are 6 different ways that a Prevent course can help you in the classroom.
1. You will learn the reason why we have the Prevent Duty
The Prevent Duty was introduced on 1st July 2015 to reduce the threat of terrorism in the United Kingdom. This is done by working actively to stop individuals from supporting terrorism or becoming terrorists. The expectation placed upon UK schools and childcare settings is that they will work closely with a multi-agency support network (including contacts such as the Police and safeguarding partners) to raise awareness of issues of extremism, and to support individuals who are vulnerable of being drawn into terrorism.
The current legislation surrounding Prevent Duty remains a staple feature of every UK school, college, nursery, or other childcare setting’s safeguarding policy. At its heart, the Prevent Duty is another form of safeguarding; an extension of the policies that should have already been in place prior to the Prevent strategy’s introduction.
In a Prevent Duty training course like our bestselling Prevent Duty Training, you will learn the exact definition of Prevent Duty as well as how and why it came to be. This knowledge is essential when it comes to your next Ofsted or equivalent inspection.
2. You will learn how to notice the signs of radicalisation and extremism
Alongside teaching you the definitions of radicalisation and extremism, a Prevent Duty training course will also train you to notice the signs that a child or individual is being drawn into radicalisation or extremism.
The internet can pose a huge risk to children who are vulnerable to being radicalised, but it is not the only place where a person can be exposed to extremist views and propaganda. A Prevent Duty training course will teach you about other factors that can put an individual at risk of being drawn into extremism. This ranges from exposure to radical ideologies at home or with family, to being forced into extremist acts under pressure from ‘friends’ or a need to fit in.
If you work in an education setting, it is very important that you are able to easily notice the signs of radicalisation and extremism and know what to do to report any concerns you may have that a child or individual has been radicalised or is expressing extremist ideologies. A verifiable Prevent Duty training course like our Prevent Duty Training is the only way you can be sure that you have all the essential knowledge to deal with an incident like this.
3. You will learn who to contact in the event of a safeguarding incident
When a safeguarding incident arises in a school setting, it usually falls into the hands of the Designated Safeguarding Lead Person to deal with and report the incident. However, when it comes to a Prevent Duty incident, there may be extra steps you need to take to ensure that the right agencies are notified of your concerns.
A Prevent Duty training course will teach you about the various agencies set up to support safeguarding incidents related to the Prevent Duty specifically. For example, Channel Duty exists to support individuals who have already been exposed to radicalisation, to refocus the individual to a less radical viewpoint.
A Prevent Duty training course like our Prevent Duty Training will teach you about the different available agencies that you can connect with in the event of a Prevent incident.
4. You will learn about the legislation and guidance surrounding Prevent Duty
Like with all safeguarding policies and procedures, there is legislation and guidance surrounding the Prevent Duty that you will need to be aware of in an education setting.
A Prevent Duty training course specifically designed for education staff, such as our Prevent Duty Training online course, will give an overview of the essential legislation and guidance surrounding Prevent Duty, so that you can be informed and prepared to handle any concerns in the classroom and beyond.
5. You will learn how to prevent a child from being drawn into extremism
Most importantly, a Prevent Duty training course will empower you to protect the children in your care and the individuals you work with from being drawn into any radicalised or extremist beliefs. This, in turn, could have the power to keep you and many other innocent people safe.
Now more than ever, the Prevent Duty is highly relevant knowledge, and your Prevent Duty training should be revisited often so that you are always up to date with the most recent safeguarding information.
We recommend taking an online course like our bestselling Prevent Duty Training once every 2 years, so that you always have an up to date certificate to show to Ofsted and equivalent inspectors.
6. You will learn essential knowledge for your next Ofsted inspection
Your knowledge of the Prevent Duty is something that Ofsted and equivalent inspecting bodies will want to see when they perform their next inspection on your school.
Unfortunately, it is not enough to just say that you know what the Prevent Duty is. You need to be able to evidence your recent training with a verifiable certificate. This certificate must be current. Expired training certificates will not be accepted by inspectors.
It is possible to take Prevent Duty training as part of your regular safeguarding training. Many online courses will include a module on the Prevent Duty, which will give you a good enough overview of the topic to pass your Ofsted inspection.
Each of the online safeguarding courses listed below include a module on the Prevent Duty:
For a more in-depth knowledge of the Prevent Duty, or if you have a need to take Prevent Duty training separately because your general safeguarding course did not include a module on the topic, our bestselling Prevent Duty Training course is the ideal choice.
We also offer a complementary video series that you can use in the classroom to educate your students on the dangers of radicalisation and extremism. Our Prevent Plus training resources are aimed at children in Key Stages 3 to 5.
Got a question about Prevent Duty training?
If you still have an unanswered question about Prevent Duty training, or if you would like to speak to a member of our friendly customer support team about your safeguarding training needs, please contact us by emailing hello@smarthorizons.co.uk, or call our office on 01327 552030. Our offices are open 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday and we are always happy to help.