(Last review 20/12/2024)
Legislation and Guidance
Fostering Services National Minimum Standards (England) 2011:
• Standard 2
• Standard 4
• Standard 6
• Standard 21
Training, Support and Development Standards for Foster Care
Relevant Information and Guidance: Protecting Children from Radicalisation: the Prevent Duty (2015); Prevent Strategy (2011); DfE Guidance
Keeping Children Safe in Education (2014)
Introduction
Positive Aspirations is subject to a duty under section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, in the exercise of its functions, to have “due regard to the need to prevent young people in its care from being drawn into terrorism.” This duty is known as the Prevent Duty.
At Positive Aspirations, we recognise that every child and young person carries a unique history of strengths, experiences and potential exposure to adversity. Preventing children from being drawn into terrorism is therefore integral to our statutory responsibility to protect them from harm. This policy must be read alongside all Positive Aspirations Safeguarding Policies.
Positive Aspirations is committed to providing a secure, trusting and empowering environment for all children, young people, carers and staff. Trauma-informed practice guides us to create predictable routines, transparent expectations and supportive relationships so individuals feel safe to share concerns. We recognise that the threat from terrorism or violent extremism in the United Kingdom can involve individuals or groups seeking to exploit people who may experience vulnerabilities arising from trauma, discrimination, isolation or other life challenges.
Since publication of the Prevent Strategy there is heightened awareness of the need to safeguard children, young people and families from violent extremism. Extremist groups have attempted to radicalise children and young people—sometimes successfully manipulating feelings of marginalisation, injustice or trauma—to justify political, religious, sexist or racist violence, or to draw them into rigid ideologies intolerant of diversity.
The Prevent Duty: What It Means for Positive Aspirations
To fulfil the Prevent Duty, all foster carers and staff must be able to:
- Recognise signs that a child or young person may be vulnerable to radicalisation, including changes that suggest emotional distress, identity conflict or experiences of coercive influence.
- Respond in a compassionate, proportionate and trauma-informed manner, ensuring the child feels heard, believed and respected.
- Refer concerns promptly through established safeguarding channels, so that multi-agency support—and where appropriate the Channel process—can be accessed with the child’s best interests at the centre.
Protecting children from radicalisation sits within wider safeguarding duties and aligns with protecting them from other harms (e.g. substance misuse, criminal exploitation, neglect, sexual abuse). Our approach emphasises resilience-building, voice and choice rather than fear-based messaging.
Building Children’s Resilience to Radicalisation
The Prevent Duty aligns with Positive Aspirations’ existing responsibilities. Foster carers and staff can strengthen looked-after children’s resilience by:
- Promoting fundamental British values—democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect, and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs—through everyday interactions and structured learning.
- Providing safe spaces for children and young people to explore controversial issues, ask questions, and practice respectful debate without fear of judgement.
- Encouraging participation in decision-making about their own lives and about household or community matters, fostering a sense of agency and belonging.
Positive Aspirations values freedom of speech and expression of belief as fundamental rights underpinning our society. We affirm the right of every child, young person, carer and staff member to be heard. Freedom, however, carries responsibility: speech intended to manipulate, marginalise or incite violence contravenes the principles of equality, human rights, community safety and cohesion. We will challenge such speech with curiosity, education and restorative dialogue, recognising that shame-based responses can deepen trauma and hinder learning.
Safeguarding Concerns Related to Radicalisation
Exploitation and radicalisation are safeguarding concerns. Foster carers and staff, supported by ongoing training and supervision, will remain alert to:
- Disclosures by young people of exposure to extremist actions, views or materials—particularly when not actively sought.
- Graffiti, symbols or artwork advocating extremist messages or imagery.
- Online activity: accessing extremist material, forums or social networks.
- Observable changes in behaviour, friendships or routines that carers notice and share as concerns.
- Statements or opinions reflecting extremist ideologies or narratives.
- Derogatory or hateful language used to exclude, belittle or threaten others.
- Intolerance of difference (religious, cultural, gender, disability, sexual orientation, race, etc.) inconsistent with our Equalities Policy.
- Pressure to impose extremist views or practices on peers or carers.
Where such indicators arise, carers and staff will respond using curiosity, empathy and a restorative mindset—prioritising safety, building trust and avoiding retraumatisation. Concerns will be recorded factually and shared via safeguarding procedures without delay.
Promoting an Inclusive and Respectful Culture
Positive Aspirations actively promotes:
- Democracy – involving children and young people in household agreements, feedback processes and choices that affect them.
- Rule of Law – setting clear, consistent boundaries collaboratively and explaining the reasons behind rules.
- Individual Liberty – encouraging self-expression, informed choices and safe risk-taking.
- Mutual Respect and Tolerance – celebrating diversity, challenging prejudice and facilitating intercultural learning opportunities.
Training for foster carers and staff emphasises:
- Trauma awareness – understanding how trauma can affect perception, behaviour and vulnerability.
- Cultural humility – recognising and valuing multiple perspectives.
- Strengths-based communication – acknowledging assets and fostering hope.
- Restorative practice – repairing harm through dialogue and accountability rather than punitive measures.
By embedding these principles, we seek to create nurturing environments where children and young people develop critical thinking skills, healthy identities and supportive peer networks—protective factors that reduce the risk of radicalisation.
Risk Assessment and Safer Caring Policy
At Positive Aspirations, we undertake compassionate, trauma-informed assessments of the risk of young people being drawn into terrorism, including the risk of supporting extremist ideas. This requires both a broad awareness of community-level risk factors affecting children and young people, and a clear process for identifying and supporting individual children who may be vulnerable to radicalisation.
The general risks affecting children and young people vary from person to person and with age. Staff and carers build trusting relationships that help them notice early signs of distress or influence. Understanding these risks enables responses that are proportionate, culturally sensitive and strengths-based.
Staff and carers should also be aware of heightened online risks. Terrorist organisations—including ISIL—actively seek to radicalise children through social media and other internet platforms. Consistent digital-safety education and open dialogue about online experiences are therefore essential.
There is no single indicator of susceptibility to extremist ideology. As with other safeguarding concerns, carers and staff must observe and record changes in behaviour that may indicate a need for help or protection. Some children may conceal their views; others may show subtle changes in language, friendships or online activity. Professional curiosity—balanced with empathy and respect—is key.
Positive Aspirations has clear procedures for protecting children at risk of radicalisation from the moment a placement is considered:
- Careful matching of each child with a foster family, taking into account history, identity, faith, culture and support needs.
- A comprehensive risk assessment guided by the Risk Matrix (see below) and the child’s known experiences.
- Integration into the child’s Safer Caring Policy, developed collaboratively with the child (where age-appropriate), carers and professionals, and reviewed regularly.
Risk assessments must rely on verifiable facts, known history and credible evidence—not hearsay or media stereotypes. When information is shared by placing authorities, staff must clarify what is evidenced and what is opinion. Safer Caring Policies and risk assessments must state:
- the identified risk;
- the agreed supportive action;
- who is responsible;
- clear timescales for review.
Actions should prioritise positive support and education. Punitive measures are used only where there is clear evidence that a child or young person poses a significant risk to themselves or others, and always alongside restorative interventions.
Staff and carers should understand when to refer to the Channel programme—an early-help, multi-agency process for individuals vulnerable to radicalisation. Channel is voluntary and focuses on personalised support, not punishment.
Working in Partnership
Under the Prevent Duty, Positive Aspirations collaborates with Local Safeguarding Children Partnerships (formerly LSCBs) and other agencies to safeguard children. We value foster carers as equal safeguarding partners, recognising their unique insight into daily life and emerging concerns.
Where risks are identified:
- Timely information-sharing among staff, carers and placing authorities enables early, child-centred intervention.
- Carers receive clear guidance, emotional support and sign-posting to specialist services.
- The child or young person’s voice is included—their worries, wishes and feelings help shape the support plan.
Training
Positive Aspirations provides mandatory and refresher training for all foster carers and staff on:
- recognising vulnerabilities linked to radicalisation;
- trauma-informed and culturally humble communication;
- challenging extremist ideas through dialogue, critical thinking and restorative approaches;
- safe, respectful use of the Channel referral process.
Where a child is known to be at higher risk, carers receive additional bespoke training, reflective supervision and increased agency contact.
IT Policies
Carers must ensure that appropriate parental controls and monitoring tools are enabled on all devices. Beyond technical safeguards, staff and carers:
- teach digital literacy and critical-thinking skills;
- encourage open conversations about content encountered online;
- model respectful online behaviour.
Roles and Responsibilities
The Registered Manager holds overall responsibility for safeguarding—including protection from extremism and radicalisation.
All managers, social workers and staff must record and report concerns promptly to the Registered Manager (or out-of-hours safeguarding lead).
Foster carers report emerging worries immediately and remain actively involved in safety-planning and review.
RADICALISATION & EXTREMISM – RISK MATRIX
This matrix supports carers and supervising social workers (SSWs) to consider probability and consequence, increasing visibility of risk and guiding supportive actions. All identified risks must feed into the individual child’s Safer Caring Policy.
| Risk Factor | Why is this significant? | Points to consider | Tick if yes |
| UASC / Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Child, Refugee, New in the UK | The child may originate from a region experiencing conflict or extremist activity. Traumatic displacement can heighten vulnerability. | • Does the child express strongly held and intolerant views toward those who do not share their beliefs? • Possession of material or symbols linked to extremist causes. • Behaviour toward peers from different faith or cultural groups. | ☐ |
| The child may have direct links to extremist groups from their country of origin. | • Does the child verbally support illegal or violent actions? • Are prejudiced views (racist, sexist, homophobic, etc.) linked to a religious or political ideology? | ☐ | |
| The child may withdraw from mainstream friendships and activities. | • Lack of interest in hobbies not aligned with the ideology. • Increasing time spent online—note type of sites visited. | ☐ | |
| Young person showing interest in views contradicting British values | The young person may be influenced by peers or online contacts. | • Is day-to-day behaviour increasingly centred on an extremist ideology? • Changes in dress or appearance to reflect group identity. | ☐ |
| Radicalisation may occur via the internet or peer network. | • Have they been groomed by family or associates who hold harmful beliefs? • Sudden, unmanageable changes in behaviour. | ☐ | |
| Parents or carers unable to manage behaviour / Missing episodes | Unsupervised time can increase exposure to extremist influences. | • Becoming argumentative; refusing other viewpoints. • Distancing from old friends or activities. • Secrecy, reluctance to discuss whereabouts. | ☐ |
| Online behaviour | Online spaces can provide anonymous access to extremist material. | • Changing online identity. • Excessive time on the phone or internet. • Attempting to join extremist organisations online. | ☐ |
| Impact on others in the foster home | Radicalised behaviour may affect birth children or other looked-after children. | • Consider risks to siblings or peers. • Assess need for additional supervision, dialogue and support. |
