Safeguarding & Inclusion
Prevent Policy
ATC supports the UK Prevent duty as part of its wider safeguarding responsibilities. The aim is to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism or extremist harm while maintaining a respectful learning environment where lawful views can be discussed critically and safely. Prevent is not a political test and does not target people because of identity, faith or opinion.
Website draft — legal and operational review required.
This document is a substantial working draft for ATC. Confirm the bracketed or course-specific details and obtain appropriate legal and operational review before relying on or publishing it as an approved policy.
Effective
Draft for ATC confirmation before publication
Last updated
[Policy date: To be confirmed by ATC before publication]
Review
Review at least annually and sooner if legislation, awarding requirements, services or delivery arrangements change.
Owner
Achievers Training College Ltd (ATC)
Version
0.1 draft
Purpose and scope
Purpose
Support the UK Prevent duty through proportionate safeguarding, early support, critical thinking and protection from extremist harm.
Scope
ATC learning, online activity, staff and learner interactions, and concerns about radicalisation or terrorism-related harm.
Responsibilities
ATC
Maintain a proportionate referral route, follow current government and local safeguarding guidance, and protect lawful expression and equality.
Staff
Notice and report concerns without making assumptions, diagnosing ideology or investigating independently.
Learners
Engage in respectful debate, avoid harmful material and report pressure, coercion or unsafe content.
How the policy works
Report a concern to the safeguarding or Prevent contact, tutor or ATC email route; call 999 in an emergency.
ATC will record the concern, consider context and vulnerability, and consult local safeguarding or Channel arrangements where appropriate.
Explain the process where safe, share information proportionately and consider reasonable adjustments or welfare support.
Use the Complaints or Appeals Policy for concerns about fairness while urgent safeguarding action continues where necessary.
A safeguarding framework
ATC will follow current UK Government Prevent guidance, the applicable Channel process and relevant local safeguarding arrangements, alongside equality, human rights and data protection duties. ATC should confirm its named Prevent or safeguarding lead and local referral route before publication.
Signs and context
A change in behaviour, isolation, exposure to harmful material, pressure from others, fixation on violence or endorsement of terrorist content may raise a concern, but no single sign proves radicalisation. Staff should avoid assumptions, consider context and report concerns rather than attempting to assess ideology themselves.
Reporting a concern
Tell the ATC safeguarding contact, tutor or info@achieverstrainingcollege.co.uk. In an emergency call 999. ATC may refer a concern to local safeguarding partners or the Channel process, which is voluntary and designed to offer early support. ATC will explain as much as it safely can and will not promise secrecy where someone may be at risk.
Learning and online content
Tutors should encourage critical thinking, respectful debate and reliable sources. Learners must not promote violence, terrorist material, harassment or dehumanising content in class, online sessions or approved platforms. Online safety guidance applies to Highfield Vault where it is used for the Level 3 Adult Care programme, but Vault remains a separate third-party platform.
Fairness and review
Prevent action must be proportionate, evidence-informed and free from discrimination. ATC will consider protected characteristics, disability, communication needs and the risk of stigmatising lawful beliefs. A learner may use the Complaints or Appeals Policy if they believe a process was unfair, while urgent safeguarding action must continue where necessary.