Counter Terrorism Policing - ACT Early

Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) has launched a new safeguarding website to encourage family and friends to share concerns that a friend or loved one might be vulnerable to radicalisation.

Radicalisation is the process by which a person comes to support terrorism and extremist ideologies.

The impact of the Coronavirus pandemic and social-isolation has seen a rise in teenagers spending more time online which can make young people more vulnerable to radicalisation and other forms of grooming.

Between January 2019 and June 2020, 17 children in England and Wales were arrested in relation to terrorism offences. Some were as young as 14-years-old, while nearly all will have been radicalised online.

In the same time period, more than 1,500 children under the age of 15 were helped by the Prevent programme to choose a different path that is away from hatred and violence.

Police forces across the country have specially trained Prevent officers who work alongside other organisations through a Home Office programme called Prevent to help people vulnerable to radicalisation move away from violent extremism. We are here to listen and offer help and advice. Receiving support is voluntary.

If you are worried someone close to you is becoming radicalised act early and seek help. The sooner you reach out, the quicker we can protect the person you care about from being groomed and exploited by extremists.

Friends and family are best placed to spot the signs, so trust your instincts and tell us your concerns in confidence.

We can help if you act early. You won't be wasting our time and you won’t ruin lives, but you might save them.

To find out more about how to help someone close to you visit actearly.uk

If something doesn’t feel right, call the national Police Prevent Advice Line on 0800 011 3764, in confidence, and our specially trained Prevent officers will listen carefully to your concerns.