Neurodiversity training for Prevent practitioners
Counter Terrorism Policing Headquarters should review its neurodiversity training for Prevent practitioners (including, where appropriate, drawing in wider healthcare advice) to ensure that they sufficiently equip practitioners with a proper understanding of:
1. How autism may influence risk in the context of a Prevent referral.
2. The importance of timely referrals to the Clinical Consultancy Service to obtain advice on how neurodiversity, including autism, may affect the risks in any individual case. Counter Terrorism Policing Headquarters should ensure that this remains a consistent priority across regions. Counter Terrorism Policing North West should review its own processes in this regard.
How was this evidence gathered?
Response
Accepted
Response
AcceptedThe internal strategic policy review of mental ill-health and neurodivergence in Prevent also includes recommended improvements to policy and training. The findings from this review will complement work by CTP in relation to recommendation 34 to build understanding of how autism may influence risk in the context of a Prevent referral and the importance of obtaining advice from the Clinical Consultancy Service (CCS) on such risk. (Government Response to Phase 1 of the Southport Inquiry, CP 1623, 2 July 2026.)
Progress Timeline
Government response published 2 July 2026 (CP 1623). The government agreed with this recommendation and addressed it in the response; the named body's delivery is in progress.
Awaiting government response. Phase 1 report published 13 April 2026.