Case study d
Sarah is a bright and thoughtful young woman taking a land based studies course.
She is a residential student at a land based college. She becomes increasingly introverted and withdraws from social groups in the college. It is noted by staff that she spends much of her leisure time alone in her room on her PC.
She has missed college and as attendance officer you contact her parents. Her parents tell you that they are concerned about how withdrawn from the family she has become when she comes home at weekends.
They are also worried that she is mixing with a new group of friends some of whom they know have been involved with an extremist animal rights group.
You are then told by fellow students that she is posting comments on her Facebook account about her sympathy for animal rights extremists who have been convicted for attempting to blow up the car of a scientist at a pharmaceutical research centre. She says in one comment that all scientists working on animals deserve to die.
Activity
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This needs to be referred to the Safeguarding team or officer who will assess the information. If they feel that there is a risk of radicalisation, they should seek advice/guidance from their local Prevent FE/HE Coordinator or the local Prevent team.
Not every Prevent referral is a Channel referral as Channel is a tactical option of Prevent. Individuals do need to give consent to be referred to Channel but they or their parent or guardian, if under 18 years of age, will need to consent to participating in Channel.
The issue of consent will be dealt with by the local Prevent team.
If they decide she is vulnerable she would be referred to Channel through a police, FE or local authority Prevent Coordinator.
If someone refuses to go through the Channel process or is not judged to need to go through the Channel process the organisation will need to decide whether additional support may be needed, often with partner organisations.