What is Prevent?

Prevent is about safeguarding people and communities from the threat of terrorism. Prevent is 1 of the 4 elements of CONTEST, the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy. It aims to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.

The Prevent strategy:

• Responds to the ideological challenge we face from terrorism and aspects of extremism, and the threat we face from those who promote these views;
• Provides practical help to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure they are given appropriate advice and support; and
• Works with a wide range of sectors (including education, criminal justice, faith, charities, online and health) where there are risks of radicalisation that we need to deal with.

Prevent covers all forms of terrorism and extremism and some aspects of non-violent extremism.
The Home Office works with local authorities, a wide range of government departments, and community organisations to deliver the Prevent strategy. The police also play a significant role in Prevent, in much the same way as they do when taking a preventative approach to other crimes.

Prevent uses a range of measures to challenge extremism including:

• Supporting people who are at risk of being drawn into terrorist or extremist activity through the Channel process, see the What is Channel section to find out more about this
• Working with and supporting community groups and social enterprise projects who provide services and support to vulnerable people
• Working with faith groups and institutions to assist them in providing support and guidance to people who may be vulnerable; and
• Supporting local schools, local industry and partner agencies through engagement, advice and training.

Prevent is measured locally and nationally to make sure the Prevent programme provides value for money.

The main aim of Prevent is to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.

At the heart of Prevent is safeguarding children and adults and providing early intervention to protect and divert people away from being drawn into terrorist activity.

Prevent addresses all forms of terrorism, but continues to ensure resources and effort are allocated on the basis ?of threats to our ?national security.