Practitioner perspectives on the meaning and service responses to children at risk of radicalisation

This thesis investigates practitioners’ perspectives on childhood radicalisation, focusing on their knowledge and experiences of risk, intervention, and multi-agency practices and approaches, with a particular focus on the Prevent Agenda. At its heart, it also focuses on the ways in which these practices, approaches, and experiences shape or get shaped by key terminologies (such as terrorism, radicalisation, and extremism). A qualitative study was undertaken, which included semi-structured interviews with seventeen practitioners, supported by existing governmental documents, grey literature, and current academic knowledge.
This research reveals that practitioners do not see the Prevent Agenda as something to be discarded; instead, they advocate for modifications to ensure it more accurately reflects contemporary society (Casciani, 2023). While it is essential to consider the criticisms surrounding the Prevent strategy, there remains a significant need for a framework like Prevent. Rather than eliminating it, participants suggest changes can be implemented to enhance its effectiveness. If the Prevent Agenda were to be discarded, it would require a replacement, which might resemble the existing framework.
Moreover, this thesis illustrates that the language used by practitioners daily carries dual meanings (denotation/connotation): the legal interpretations established by academics, legislation, and the broader community, alongside the practitioners’ personal working definitions that can influence their day-to-day activities; all of which are socially constructed.
This thesis demonstrates, through the number of participants who described radicalisation as a type of grooming, a notion that has not gained wide acceptance. Radicalisation exhibits both commonalities and distinctions compared to other types of grooming (e.g., CSE and County Lines). Existing definitions of radicalisation do not address grooming as an aspect of the radicalisation process; however, this thesis demonstrates that practitioners are already using this terminology.
The Prevent Agenda is frequently regarded as a component of the broader security framework in England; however, this thesis indicates that practitioners perceive the Prevent Agenda as a safeguarding tool, akin to other safeguarding mechanisms that have been employed to protect children and young people at risk of harm. But it is influencing how practitioners perceive the process of radicalisation and their overall approach to practice. Furthermore, this study revealed that many practitioners do not identify themselves or the Prevent Agenda with the concept of the “thought police.” Nevertheless, they significantly influence the way individuals think, aiming to deter them from becoming violent extremists, which, in effect, involves monitoring their thoughts and redirecting them away from the radicalisation process.