Protecting Vulnerable People from Radicalisation Policy and Procedure

  1. Purpose

    1.1 This policy sets out Epitome Home Care Agency’s strategies and procedures to protect vulnerable Service Users and staff from being radicalised or exposed to extremist views.
    1.2 To provide staff with a clear and reliable framework to enable them to identify and report concerns surrounding staff, Service Users and other members of the public if they have concerns regarding potential radicalisation. Concerns may also relate to any agency staff, contractors, trainees, apprentices or anyone who comes in to contact with Epitome Home Care Agency.
    1.3 To meet the legal requirements of the regulated activities that Epitome Home Care Agency is registered to provide:

    • The Children & Young People (Scotland) Act 2014
    • The Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015
    • Equality Act 2010
    • Human Rights Act 1998
    • Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998
    • Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act, 2000
    • Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act, 2007
    • The Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Requirements for Care Services) Regulations 2011

  2. Scope

    2.1 The following roles may be affected by this policy:
    All staff
    2.2 The following people may be affected by this policy:
    Service Users
    2.3 The following stakeholders may be affected by this policy:

    • Family
    • Commissioners
    • Local Authority
    • NHS
    • Police

  3. Objectives

    3.1 To ensure Epitome Home Care Agency meets its obligations under the Prevent agenda and follows local procedures.
    3.2 The main objective of this policy and procedure is to ensure that staff are fully engaged in being vigilant about radicalisation; that they overcome professional disbelief that such issues will not happen here and ensure that we work alongside other professional bodies and agencies to ensure that our Service Users and staff are safe from harm.

  4. Policy

    4.1 Epitome Home Care Agency believes that it is unlikely that an incident of radicalisation will occur within The Agency. We realise that we must remain fully informed about the issues which affect the local area, city and society in which we deliver care and support and that we have a duty to safeguard the wellbeing of the people who use our services and the staff supporting them.
    Epitome Home Care Agency recognises that radicalisation is not a one-off event that happens to individuals. It is a series of contacts and episodes that can result in potential harmful acts. It is, therefore, essential that Epitome Home Care Agency’s staff working with individuals who display or comment upon potential incidents of concern understand the responsibilities in relation to ‘Prevent’ and how that works within a support and protect context.
    We understand that it is unlikely that the ongoing protection of that individual and the resolution of the concerns will be the sole responsibility of one organisation. As such, it is essential that a robust network is developed to ensure effective multi-agency working and Epitome Home Care Agency will ensure it works in partnership with other agencies to promote the wellbeing of any individuals and to meet Prevent duty obligations.

    4.2 Every member of staff recognises that safeguarding against radicalisation and extremism is no different to safeguarding against any other vulnerability in today’s society. The Protecting Vulnerable Adults from Radicalisation Policy and Procedure sets out our beliefs, strategies and procedures to protect vulnerable individuals from being radicalised or exposed to extremist views, by identifying who they are and promptly providing them with support. We will ensure Epitome Home Care Agency’s staff receive the training and supervision to safeguard the individuals we care for and to respond appropriately and proportionally to concerns raised.

  5. Procedure

    5.1 Factors Triggering Radicalisation
    Evidence suggests that there is no obvious profile for a person who is likely to become involved in terrorist related activity, or a single indicator for when a person might move to support extremism. However, the increasing body of information indicates that factors thought to relate to personal experiences of vulnerable individuals affect the way in which they relate to their personal environment and may make them susceptible to exploitation or supporting terrorist activities. Epitome Home Care Agency should ensure staff are aware of the factors that may trigger radicalisation which include, but are not limited to, peer pressure, influence from other people or the Internet, bullying, crime and anti-social behaviour, family tensions, race/hate crime, lack of self-esteem or identity, prejudicial behaviour and personal or political grievances.

    5.2 Indicators of Concern
    Indicators that staff may observe or identify regarding individuals’ behaviour or actions may include the following:
    • Spending increasing time in the company of other suspected extremists
    • Changing their style of dress or personal appearance to accord with the group
    • Day-to-day behaviour becoming increasingly centred on an extremist ideology, group or cause
    • Loss of interest in other friends and activities not associated with the extremist ideology, group or cause
    • Possession of materials or symbols associated with an extremist cause
    • Attempts to recruit others to the group/cause
    • Communications with others that suggests identification with a group, cause or ideology
    • Using insulting to derogatory names for another group
    • Increase in prejudice-related incidents committed by that person which may include;
    ◦ Physical or verbal assault
    ◦ Provocative behaviour
    ◦ Damage to property
    ◦ Derogatory name calling
    ◦ Possession of prejudice-related materials
    ◦ Prejudice-related ridicule or name-calling
    ◦ Inappropriate forms of address
    ◦ Refusal to co-operate
    ◦ Attempts to recruit to prejudice-related organisations
    ◦ Condoning or supporting violence towards others

    5.3 Consent
    • People who are vulnerable to violent extremism or radicalisation are more likely to be reached by supportive services if issues of consent are handled with sensitivity and there is an informed understanding of the issues
    • Before making a referral, staff should respond to all concerns, by clarifying the information
    • For children, this will ordinarily involve talking to the child/young person and their family (unless the family is implicated in potential extremism), and to other professionals working with the child/young person. Any referral should be made with the young person/family’s knowledge and consent, unless to do so would place the child/young person at risk of harm
    • For adults (over 18 years old), practitioners should seek the consent of the person who may be at risk of extremism or radicalisation before taking action or sharing information. In some cases, where a person refuses consent, information can still lawfully be shared if it is in the public interest to do so. This may include protecting someone from serious harm or preventing crime and disorder
    • When there are grounds to doubt the capacity of those aged 16 and over steps need to be taken to provide support to enable them to give informed consent to be referred to the Channel Panel. Refer to the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act for further information

    5.4 Referral to Channel Panel
    Concern expressed by Epitome Home Care Agency that an individual may be vulnerable to radicalisation does not mean that Epitome Home Care Agency thinks the person is a terrorist. It means that Epitome Home Care Agency is concerned they are prone to being exploited by others and so the concern is a safeguarding matter. Epitome Home Care Agency MUST raise any concerns with the PREVENT Leads as soon as possible or with any of the key contacts in the CCG, the Police or Crimestoppers.
    • Any agency or member of the public can make a referral to Channel. However, Epitome Home Care Agency needs to consider its local safeguarding procedures in the first instance and whenever there is a concern that someone is vulnerable to radicalisation, should consult with the Safeguarding Lead within Epitome Home Care Agency. The Safeguarding Lead should then provide support in making the decision as to whether a referral to Channel Panel is needed and if this is the appropriate route
    • Referrals should be made without delay where there are concerns about significant harm, or directly to the Police on 999 if there is an imminent risk of harm
    • Epitome Home Care Agency should identify who the local Prevent lead is in case advice is needed
    • If Epitome Home Care Agency is asked to provide information to the Channel Panel or Prevent Multi- Agency group it is Epitome Home Care Agency’s responsibility to respond within a set time frame outlined by the Prevent Chair and/or Administrator. It is also Epitome Home Care Agency’s responsibility to notify the Channel Panel of relevant changes in circumstances or provide an update on progress/intervention

    5.5 Training
    • WRAP (Workshop to Raise the Awareness of Prevent) is an hour/2 hour long DVD led interactive workshop. It is aimed at frontline staff as well as the community.
    • The National Counter-Terrorism Policing Headquarters (NCTPHQ), in conjunction with the College of Policing, have developed a general awareness e-learning package for Channel. This e-learning is not a substitute for WRAP training. The package includes:
    ◦ Information on how Channel links to the Government’s Counter-Terrorism Strategy (CONTEST) through the Prevent strategy
    ◦ Guidance on how to identify people who may be vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism
    ◦ How to refer them into the Channel process
    The training can be accessed here: http://course.ncalt.com/Channel_General_Awareness/01/index.html

    5.6 Whistleblowing
    Where there are concerns of extremism or radicalisation, Staff will be encouraged to make use of our internal systems to whistleblow or raise any issue in confidence.

  6. Definitions

    6.1 Radicalisation
    • Radicalisation refers to the process by which a person comes to support terrorism and extremist ideologies associated with terrorist groups

    6.2 Extremism
    • The UK Government defines extremism as vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs

    6.3 Contest
    • CONTEST is the overall UK strategy for Countering Terrorism

    6.4 Channel
    • Channel is a key element of the Prevent strategy. It is a multi-agency approach to protect people at risk from radicalisation. Channel uses existing collaboration between local authorities, statutory partners (such as the education and health sectors, social services, children’s and youth services and offender management services), the Police and the local community to:
    ◦ Identify individuals at risk of being drawn into terrorism
    ◦ Assess the nature and extent of that risk
    ◦ Develop the most appropriate support plan for the individuals concerned

    6.5 Terrorism
    • Terrorism is defined in the Terrorism Act of 2000 (TACT 2000) as an action that endangers or causes serious violence to a person or people, causes serious damage to property or seriously interferes or disrupts an electronic system. The use of threat must be designed to influence the Government or to intimidate the public and is made for the purpose of political, religious or ideological gain

    6.6 Vulnerability
    • Vulnerability, in the context of Prevent, describes a person who is susceptible to extremist messages and is at risk of being drawn into or supporting terrorism at a point in time. It is a wider definition than the definition of vulnerability within the Care Act. In the Care Act, specific adult safeguarding duties apply to any adult who has care and support needs, is experiencing, or is at risk of abuse or neglect and who is unable to protect themselves because of their care and support needs

    6.7 WRAP
    • WRAP – Workshop for Raising Awareness of Prevent. This is nationally prescribed training aimed at specific relevant staff

    6.8 Prevent
    • PREVENT is a national programme that is prioritised at a local level according to the risks we face. Section 26 of the 2015 Counter-Terrorism and Security Act places a duty on certain bodies to have ‘due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism’. Any community can be affected by the threat from terrorism but the nature and extent of the threat will vary across the country; local responses need to be appropriate and proportionate to local circumstances. The Government’s PREVENT strategy focuses on stopping people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. It is part of the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy CONTEST, which is led by the Home Office. The PREVENT strategy is about recognising when vulnerable individuals are being exploited for terrorist-related activities.

    PREVENT has 3 national objectives:
    ◦ Objective 1: respond to the ideological challenge of terrorism and the threat we face from those who
    promote it
    ◦ Objective 2: prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure that they are given
    appropriate advice and support. Channel is a key part of the Government’s work to prevent terrorism
    and is a multi-agency approach to identifying and supporting vulnerable individuals
    ◦ Objective 3: work with sectors and institutions where there are risks of radicalisation which we need
    to address

Key Facts – Professionals

Professionals providing this service should be aware of the following:

  • Before making a referral, staff should respond by clarifying the information and undertaking an initial fact find
  • There is no obvious profile for a person who is likely to become involved in terrorist-related activity, or single indicator for when a person might move to support extremism
  • Staff should undertake Support and Protect and Prevent training

Key Facts – People Affected by The Service

People affected by this service should be aware of the following:

  •  For adults (over 18 years old), practitioners should seek the consent of the person who may be at risk of extremism or radicalisation before taking action or sharing information

Further Reading

As well as the information in the ‘Underpinning Knowledge’ section of the review sheet we recommend that you add to your understanding in this policy area by considering the following materials:

Prevent E-Learning Training

  • https://www.elearning.prevent.homeoffice.gov.uk/
  • http://course.ncalt.com/Channel_General_Awareness/01/index.html

Outstanding Practice

To be outstanding in this policy area you could provide evidence that:

  • Staff receive Support and Protect training and have regular updates on their training
  • There is evidence of multi-agency partnerships and working in relation to safeguarding
  • Epitome Home Care Agency has a procedure in place for reviewing all safeguarding concerns and understanding the root cause and lessons learned