TV presenter Chris Packham has called out Ofsted for linking autism and extremism in a “discriminatory” and “extraordinarily inaccurate statement” made in their Prevent-related training document, reports the Huffington Post.
His comments come after The Guardian reported that a training manual, used to teach Ofsted school inspectors, suggested children with autism are “at increased risk of being susceptible to extremism”.
It also reportedly claimed that children who are autistic are “more likely to develop special interests” and “can be drawn into extremism” as a result.
The training guide, called Inspection Safeguarding Session – Prevent Extract 2024, reportedly reads:
“Children and young people with autism are at increased risk of being susceptible to extremism. This is because they are more likely to develop special interests.
“Due to this and any social communication needs, children with autism are more likely to experience social isolation and so use the internet as a way to find friends. They trust the information they read and the ‘friends’ that they find online and so can be drawn into extremism.”
Read the full story on Huffington Post.
Related…
Read our Expert View on how exactly Prevent’s mechanisms work to ensnare people with Autism (2025)
