Training Talk - Prevent
Gabriella Jozwiak
Sunday, October 1, 2017
Danielle Butcher has become more aware of risky behaviour after going on an early years- specific Prevent course. By Gabriella Jozwiak
Terrorist attacks in Manchester and London have brought the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy Prevent into the spotlight. Since July 2015, all childcare providers are legally conferred to have ‘due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism’. Ofsted checks providers meet this requirement at inspection.
Sunshine Corner Nursery in Aylesham, run by the Pre-school Learning Alliance, ensures its staff know how to identify adults and children at risk of radicalisation, and take action, by training them using an online course offered by EduCare: The Prevent Duty in an Early Years Environment.
Flexible worker Danielle Butcher, who is currently completing a Level 3 Early Years Educator qualification, says the training has made her more vigilant. She completed the Level 2 course in May. It required she study a pack of policies, including what is expected from early years leaders, definitions of extremism and radicalisation, who may be at risk, and how to support them. Finally students must answer an online questionnaire with a 70 per cent pass mark.
‘I learned how to identify risks, such as if you saw a child or a family who was being radicalised,’ says Ms Butcher. ‘And how you could prevent radicalisation in the first place by promoting British values.’
Ofsted defines British values as democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and ‘mutual respect for and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs and for those without faith’. Ms Butcher says Sunshine Corner already organised activities promoting mutual respect and tolerance, but now gives this more focus. ‘We’ve been looking at Ramadan and the Chinese new year,’ she explains. ‘We have more displays and we’ve broadened our research. We try to get the children to understand more.’
Ms Butcher emphasises that making the activities fun is the best way for children to learn and enjoy the subjects. The nursery communicates Prevent to parents through newsletters and a welcome display board.
Ms Butcher says everyone in the nursery is also clear about how to escalate a concern. ‘I feel more confident in my practice and able to identify the hazards,’ she says.
