A recent report – The kids aren’t alright (Stanley et al, 2022) – from centre-right think-tank Onward attempts to offer insights into why some younger adults are detaching from democratic norms.

The recent political omnishambles perhaps did little to encourage greater attachment to democracy, however one of the report’s conclusions – that one of the drivers of a detachment from democracy among this age group is a narrowing of social networks leading to less tolerance of different views and more polarised identities – is one that school leaders and teachers should consider carefully.

Of course, we must be careful not to over-react to findings like these. Reassuringly, democracy is still the form of government with the most support from younger adults, and the older people get the more likely they are to reject non-democratic alternatives.

But one of the report’s conclusions, that young people who live much of their social life online are more likely to support alternative forms of government, especially non-democratic ones such as army rule or “the strongman”, will resonate with many secondary teachers and safeguarding leads around the country who are increasingly concerned that online networks can exert a malign influence on young minds.

For most secondary-age pupils, political attitudes change and develop as they become young adults. Schools of course have their part to play in helping to shape those attitudes by embedding the principles of an open, democratic society across school life.

A sound approach in itself, and one that is emphasised in the Prevent duty guidance (Home Office, 2021), which stresses the role of “Fundamental British Values” in building pupils’ resilience to radicalisation.

There are ample opportunities to actively involve young people in democratic processes such as debate and the free and frank exchange of ideas and views within the curriculum and in extra-curricular activities. This is a good way of shining a light on the distorted views of democracy that students may have received online from biased sources.

Look at the groups and societies that exist in your school and think about how their voices are/can be heard. Are there other processes within the school that reflect democratic values – for example elections for the student council or head boy and girl? Processes like these can help to demystify the workings of democracy.

It is also important for education professionals to be alert to the signs of radicalisation that can lead to extremism in its many forms. These signs can include students refusing to listen to different points of view and becoming more argumentative, especially around commonly accepted democratic values such as freedom of speech and tolerance of others.

An increased interest in conspiracy theories and a growing intolerance of others, especially those of a different religion, race or gender, is another warning sign.

If you have those concerns, there are a number of tools and approaches that schools can use. I have listed some tips that will be useful to all staff and some that are more specifically for designated safeguarding leads (DSLs) and their deputies – it is important to remember that this will be a whole school approach to safeguarding.

Advice for All Staff

• Flag up any concerns, however trivial they may seem, to your designated safeguarding lead. They may have a broader understanding of this child’s life and your information could be the final piece of the puzzle.
• Work with parents to support them in implementing parental controls on devices at home when possible.
• Don’t be afraid to have difficult conversations. If a pupil expresses a viewpoint that concerns you, explore this and their understanding of it. They are likely to be more open to talking to you about this if they have spoken up in front of you.

Advice for DSLs and deputies:

• Ensure filtering and monitoring reports for the student are analysed – what are they searching for on school computers and is this concerning?
• Find your local Prevent officer. They are a great source of knowledge and are prepared to answer difficult questions.Use them as a sounding board in exploring your concerns and ideas.
• Make a referral to children’s social care if you are concerned that a child is suffering, or likely to suffer from harm. They will be able to assist you in signposting to local support services.

Taking a Closer Look

We also need to remember that very often any suspicions of extremism and radicalisation are rarely standalone events and are often intertwined with safeguarding concerns.

As a police officer working with schools on safeguarding matters, I was frequently reminded of the complexity of this area. In one case I worked on as a child protection detective, a young person was expressing support for an extreme right-wing, fascist group. However, when I sat down to talk with him, I learned about a significant amount of abuse that had taken place at home – abuse that had, perhaps, encouraged the child to explore these extreme perspectives.

Examples like this underline the need for schools to consider carefully each case and ensure that the DSL is involved from the start as a referral to children’s social care and/or Prevent may need to be considered at an early stage.

The Prevent Perspective

Finally, what does Prevent have to say about building pupils’ resilience to anti-democratic ideas?

• “Include in suitable parts of the curriculum – as appropriate for the age of pupils – material on the strengths, advantages and disadvantages of democracy, and how democracy and the law works in Britain, in contrast to other forms of government in other countries.”
• “Ensure all pupils within the school have a voice that is listened to and demonstrate how democracy works by actively promoting democratic processes such as a school council whose members are voted for by the pupils.”
• “Use opportunities such as general or local elections to hold mock elections to promote Fundamental British Values and provide pupils with the opportunity to learn how to argue and defend points of view.”

James Simoniti is a former police detective who now offers advice and support as part of Judicium’s safeguarding service. For information, visit www.judiciumeducation.co.uk/safeguarding-service or follow @JudiciumSG

Further information & resources

• Home Office: Statutory guidance: Revised Prevent duty guidance (for England and Wales), updated April 2021: https://bit.ly/3fyWX2B
• Stanley et al: The kids aren’t alright: The 4 factors driving a dangerous detachment from democracy, September 2022: www.ukonward.com/reports/the-kids-arent-alright-democracy