Counter-terrorism - the Prevent duty

Case study: Institute of Contemporary Music Performance

Communication of Prevent policies to staff and students through training and the student senate has been effective. Safeguarding is promoted internally via a safeguarding newsletter. There are posters identifying the safeguarding lead and members of the safeguarding team, and information on how to raise concerns. These are located in all staffrooms and main staff break-out areas. Posters and slides on IT are displayed on screens.

The designated safeguarding and Prevent lead continues to provide updates on legislative changes and identifies training through the monthly staff meetings.

Case study: University of Central Lancashire

The university has embedded mechanisms to ensure effective oversight of the management of events on and off campus. It has established a dedicated group with responsibility for reviewing risks and mitigating actions. The Prevent Advisory Group and the university's Audit and Risk Committee provide oversight, followed by Board-level review.

The university’s communication strategy ensures that all staff and students understand what constitutes a ‘designated event’, and how to seek advice when planning such an activity. Various teams are involved in this discussion to ensure that messaging is appropriate.

The university has also ensured additional safeguards are in place to identify higher risk events, by reviewing and developing procedures relating to its Timetabling and Room Booking Unit and its Conference and Events team, both of which have been trained in Prevent. There is a clear escalation process for designated events, which are referred to the Chief Operating Officer or Director of Student Services in the first instance.

Case study: KLC School of Design.

Members of the Prevent core team include the Quality Assurance Manager, the Operations Manager, and the Head of Student Welfare. The core team has also held discussions with the local authority Prevent contact, and has met with local police Prevent leads.

KLC’s student welfare team is on-site daily and available to provide pastoral support. Students have regular contact with the Head of Student Welfare. Details of available student services including contact information can be found in the student course handbooks.

KLC has a tutor student ratio of 1:10, which enables all students to be closely supported by course tutors and means that any change in behaviour would be quickly identified.

Case study: Manchester Metropolitan University

The university works closely and effectively with the students’ union on all aspects of its Prevent duty obligations. The Chief Executive Officer of the students’ union is a member of the Prevent Steering Group, which ensures that there is input from the students’ union into the development and operation of Prevent-related policies and procedures.

The code of practice on freedom of speech applies to meetings, events and activities that are organised by the students’ union and its societies, and the students’ union has rigorous procedures for carrying out initial checks and providing advice to its President and Chief Executive Officer.

The university’s Prevent training has been delivered to students’ union sabbatical officers and staff, some of whom are also members of the management group for the Muslim Prayer Room.

The university is currently developing a video produced by the students’ union, which will include an interview with senior university staff who are managing the implementation of the Prevent duty. This approach is considered to be more appropriate for a student audience, and focuses on those aspects of the Prevent duty that are particularly relevant to students.

Case study: BPP

This provider has created Prevent champions, forged strong links with Prevent partners, ensured that safeguarding and wellbeing teams meet frequently to discuss concerns, and coordinated escalation or referral through its DfE Regional Prevent Coordinator.

There is a short online module which all staff are required to complete to raise awareness of Prevent, and a second module focusing on safeguarding and wellbeing for those key staff in student facing roles.

The structure of the Prevent training is the same for each of the centres, which makes lack of consistency less of a risk as the approach is only different where necessary.

Case study: London Metropolitan University

The university’s IT system includes a pop-up on blocked sites, directing users to contact the University Secretary’s office.

The university is working with its IT team in a number of ways to maintain vigilance. A weekly spreadsheet of hits in the extremism category is provided to the University Secretary’s office. It’s intended that one-off attempts to access these websites prompt an email to the user which explains why it was blocked and refers to the acceptable IT usage policy. Serial attempts to access blocked material are treated as a concern under the university’s wider safeguarding policy.