Our Expert Views

Our Expert Views

Rich, readable blogs from our experts who work among the community, in academia and research on new developments in Prevent and their real impact on people.

People's Review of Prevent

The People's Review of Prevent

The People’s Review of Prevent is an alternative review to the Government Shawcross Review.

This review provides a voice to the people most impacted by the Prevent Duty.

Prevent is described as ‘safeguarding’ children from harms. However, under Prevent, safeguarding is focused on protecting the wider public from children believed to be ‘risky’, rather than protecting children from harms.

Throughout our report we present case studies that show how real these harms can be and the distress they cause to children and their families and carers.

The serious harms of Prevent scrutiny on children

The Shawcross Review does not address the harms of Prevent scrutiny of children, and specifically Muslim children. Rather, its recommendations will accentuate them...

Our response to the latest Prevent referral data concerns

Shawcross’s recommendation on Prevent referral data demonstrates his lack of knowledge about the situation that currently applies...

What a Muslim civil society ‘register’ at the Home Office means

William Shawcross has attempted to smear Muslim civil society organisations in a report that seeks to position Muslims – especially those who work for positive change in communities at home and abroad – as suspects...

How the Shawcross recommendations ignore the Manchester Arena Enquiry

The Shawcross recommendations to Prevent ignore the Manchester Arena Enquiry, and rather urge a greater securitisation of society that is harmful in the long term...

Middle East Eye: The Shawcross Review of Prevent is a flagship for a new nationalism to haunt the UK

The Shawcross Review of Prevent urges far-reaching changes to the administrative organisation of Prevent, involving increased centralisation and direct control by the Home Office...

How Shawcross argues for Prevent-led authoritarianism in schools

In ignoring the facts and arguing for Prevent-led authoritarianism in schools, Shawcross pushes aside the role of local authorities and the DfE in his review of the Prevent strategy...

Why is Shawcross ignorant of ‘fundamental British values’ in schools?

The teaching of Fundamental British Values in schools is incorporated into the requirement of schools under Prevent, so why does Shawcross ignore its impact and meaning in his report?...

NEU2023: Prevent in education and civil liberties in the classroom

A closer look at the function of Prevent in education reveals serious errors by William Shawcross, both in his recommendations and in his understanding of Prevent in schools...

How the Manchester Arena Inquiry justly undermines Shawcross report

The Manchester Arena Inquiry undermines the Shawcross's attempts to shunt Muslim-led civil society groups into the same frame as terrorism...

“They do not know how patient I am”: Reflections of a caseworker at Prevent Watch

When I first had the honour of visiting Palestine many years ago, a friend told me very clearly to speak about what we, as guests, had witnessed and to never stop talking about Palestine when we return to our homes. At the time, this seemed...

For the Love of Trains – Speaking to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights about Prevent

On Monday, I was at Amnesty International’s offices, meeting with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk. It was an opportunity for directors from several civil society organisations to ensure he heard about the most urgent...