How to complete a risk assessment to assess the risk of people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism
Published 7 September 2023
Applies to England
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The purpose of a Prevent risk assessment
A risk assessment encourages settings to consider how learners may be susceptible to radicalisation into terrorism. It should allow settings to consider risks and mitigations to effectively safeguard learners from being drawn into or supporting terrorism. Settings should have proportionate and appropriate capabilities to manage risk and have a clear approach to deal with radicalisation concerns.
What to consider when conducting a risk assessment
In complying with the duty, education settings and childcare providers should demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the threat and risk in the local area, sector or institution. This risk will vary and can change, but no area or setting is risk free.
This means being able to demonstrate:
- an understanding of the national threat picture
- a general understanding of the risks affecting children, young people or adult learners
- a specific understanding of local risks and the potential impact on your setting or learners
- a proportionate response to the level of threat and risk, considering the phase of education, the size and type of setting
While the type and scale of activity that will address the risk will differ, all settings should give due consideration to it.
Any decisions made should be proportionate to the risk of radicalisation into terrorism.
Before you begin your risk assessment, we recommend you consider:
- what awareness leaders and managers have of national, regional and local risks
- what training staff have received to demonstrate an awareness and understanding of radicalisation risk
- what actions leaders, managers and staff need take to protect learners from these risk
- how effectively providers collaborate with local partners including the local authority, Prevent leads, the police and community safety partnerships, and DfE regional Prevent coordinator
- how aware learners are of local risks and how to protect themselves
- what is being done to build resilience to radicalisation including protection learners online and raising awareness of online safety
- the actions you have taken to protect learners from radicalisation proportionate to the risk posed in your area, cohort of learners and size of institution
- what options may be available and appropriate to take in response to local risks
The UK’s current terrorism threat picture
You should have an awareness of:
- the UK’s current threat and risk picture impacting learners, for more information see the:
- the age, gender and type of concern of those referred to Prevent and those arrested for terrorism offences, for more information see the:
- statistics on Prevent referrals which include regional trends
- statistics on terrorism-related arrests, which contain briefings on the nature and demographics of those arrested, including age
- how individuals are exposed to harmful extremist content online, share extremist or illegal content which may present a risk to themselves and others, and engage with extremists online on social media, chat forums or through gaming
- different ideological narratives, for example, Islamist and extreme right-wing - Educate Against Hate provides further information including the lets discuss teaching resources that explore different types of ideologies
- different terrorist groups or organisations banned under UK law
Virtual training is available from the DfE regional Prevent coordinators.
Information about local risks
Through strong local partnerships you should have an awareness of:
- the local risk and threat picture (sometimes referred to as a counter-terrorism local profile) which can be provided by your local authority or local policing
- previous safeguarding incidents or issues relevant to Prevent
- community reporting of extremist activity, such as marches, events, stickering, graffiti, which you might be aware of through local news, insights from staff who live locally or from attending DSL or head teacher forums and community safety partnerships
- terrorist attacks within the UK or globally that could impact your area, setting, or learners
- community tensions that could create an environment conducive to extremism
Accessing further support
The local authority and local police will be able to provide contextual information to help settings understand the risks in their areas.
It is important to build partnerships with:
- the local authority Prevent lead
- the local authority Prevent education officer (if you have one)
- local authority children or adult services
- the safeguarding children partnership
- the local policing team (search on your local police website)
Contact partners to understand the local threat and risk picture in your area.
Further information on understanding radicalisation risk and managing risk is available in the safeguarding learners vulnerable to radicalisation guidance.