Key facts
- Referrals to the Prevent program involving children increased from 2,918 in 2016-17 to 4,715 in 2024-25.
- 71% of Prevent referrals for children did not have a clear ideology, often linked to online exposure to harmful content.
- 79% of Prevent referrals for children were closed without progressing through the program.
- The Children's Commissioner recommends joint statutory guidance for children deemed violence-fixated or at risk of criminality.
- The government stated Prevent has moved over 6,000 people away from violent ideologies since 2015.
The children’s commissioner for England has warned that the UK government’s Prevent anti-terror program is failing to help a growing number of children who are "intoxicated by extremism" or "fixated with violence" but do not adhere to a specific ideology. Referrals to Prevent involving children have increased significantly in the past decade.
The commissioner's office analyzed data showing that 71% of referrals for children lacked a clear ideology, often stemming from exposure to violent online content. A high percentage of these cases are closed without progressing through the program, indicating a gap in safeguarding for vulnerable youth.
The report highlights the case of Axel Rudakubana, who committed a fatal attack after multiple referrals to Prevent were closed due to a lack of defined ideology. This situation has led to calls for a stronger, more integrated safeguarding response, including joint guidance from the Home Office and Department for Education.
Recommendations include referring violence-fixated children to local authority safeguarding teams alongside Prevent, with assessment teams acting as a triage. A government spokesperson acknowledged the report and stated that Prevent is crucial in moving individuals away from violent ideologies, with all referrals assessed thoroughly. The government is reviewing the report and considering further measures for those fascinated with extreme violence.