The Prevent Duty was introduced through the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 and it requires health bodies, local authorities, schools, colleges, higher education institutions, prisons and probation and the police to consider the need to safeguard people from being drawn into terrorism.

It sits alongside long-established existing duties on professionals to safeguard vulnerable people from exploitation from a range of other harms such as knife crime drugs, and sexual exploitation.

Often vulnerable individuals can become exploited by others to support causes and take part in activities that can lead to criminal behaviours.

Prevent seeks to help identify individuals who may be exposed to such exploitation and find ways to support them via a Channel Panel referral in what is called the pre-criminal space before any illegal activity has taken place.

Professionals working in health and social care need to complete Prevent to help them understand how they can assist people in these circumstances and for details about how to make a referral or for general advice including how to make a referral into Channel they should contact their organisation’s Safeguarding/Prevent lead or the lead for Adult Safeguarding.