A total of 415 children aged 10 and under have been referred to the government’s deradicalisation “Channel” programme in England and Wales since 2012, the BBC has reported.
National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) figures obtained by the BBC show 1,424 children aged 11-15 were also referred.
The “Channel” programme, set up after the 7/7 attacks in London, aims to steer people away from “extremism”.
The government claims that the scheme has successfully deradicalised people.
NPCC figures contained by the NPCC, under a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, which showed that a total of 1,839 children aged 15 and under had been referred over concerns they were at risk of radicalisation between January 2012 and December 2015.
The figures show referrals are rising year on year.
The “Channel” programme, which is part of the government’s counter-terrorism strategy, allegedly focuses on identifying people who are vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism and providing them with support to stop that from happening.
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Under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act which was introduced last year, schools, prisons, the NHS, and local authorities have a legal obligation, known as the “Prevent Duty”, to spot individuals who might be vulnerable to extremism.
