The Children’s Commissioner’s latest report found that two thirds of Prevent referrals for children made by schools and colleges were returned to education settings, with 93% of these children receiving no additional support from Prevent.

New analysis found seven in ten child referrals to Prevent had no specific extremist ideology identified, and that referrals without a clear ideology were less likely to progress through the programme than those with a defined ideology.

Referrals to Prevent involving children have risen over the past decade, from 2,918 in 2016 to 2017 to 4,715 in 2024 to 2025.

Dame Rachel de Souza recommends that children currently sent to Prevent should instead be assessed by local safeguarding teams, including Counter Terrorism Policing, and directed to the right support.

The report comes as Phase 2 of the Southport Inquiry prepares to examine the adequacy of arrangements for managing the risk from violence fixated individuals.