Young people are spending more and more time online and Counter Terrorism Policing are seeing younger and younger children being exposed to extreme material and views. Here in the UK, children as young as 12 have been targeted and groomed into supporting extremist ideologies.
That’s why CT Policing’s advice line and safeguarding Prevent website actearly.uk is aimed at family and friends to encourage them to share concerns that a friend or loved one might be vulnerable to radicalisation. To promote the new website and advice line to parents, CT Policing has partnered with Netmums.com, to encourage them to have radicalisation on their radar in the same way they do with other online harms.
This partnership focuses on supporting the work of Prevent bringing transparency around the programme and the support available. It includes content for parents to learn about the dangers, spotting signs and to help protect their children from the potential risk of online radicalisation. You can read all of the useful articles, tips and information on the dedicated Netmums ACT Early hub and even read the live Q&A, where parents ask Prevent related questions.
For more information about ACT Early, please visit www.actearly.uk or contact nctphq.comms@met.police.uk.
CT Policing’s key messages to parents:
- Have a conversation with your children about the potential risks of radicalisation as you do about other harms like drugs, sexting and child sexual exploitation. Find out more by visiting actearly.uk.
- Protect your child by finding out about extremism and radicalisation and help make them more resilient to potential risks.
- Find out how to make your child digitally savvy to help protect them
- Not all children are vulnerable to radicalisation but some are and every parent needs to know the potential risks and what to look out for.
- If you are concerned act early and seek advice from the advice line on 0800 011 3764.
- We are here to help and to listen. They will not be wasting our time. The earlier they tell us their worries, the quicker we can get the person they care about the help they need to protect them from being groomed and radicalised. Most cases they issues will be unconnected to radicalisation and the support will be provided by other partners.