ECEC staff in the UK may be required to report young children at risk of 'radicalisation' under plans currently out for consultation by the Home Office.
Under the proposal early childhood staff would receive training to help them identify children at risk of being drawn into extreme behaviour.
The plans are part of the UK Government's anti-terrorism strategy, Prevent, first published in 2011, and the proposal was released for a six week consultation just before Christmas. Other authorities being requested to provide feedback include schools, colleges, universities, the National Health Service, prisons, police and the probation service.
Under, the Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill, which is currently working its way through the British Parliament early childhood providers would have a responsibility to prevent people from being lured into terrorism from a young age.
The Home Office says the new responsibility would be part of an ECEC provider's duty of care and should be viewed as simply another way that providers work to safe guard children from harm.
Speaking to The Telegraph a Government spokesperson said, 'We are not expecting teachers and nursery workers to carry out unnecessary intrusion into family life, but we do expect them to take action when they observe behaviour of concern.'
The proposal follows new guidelines which mean that local authorities have the power to remove or reduce funding for early education providers which do not promote 'British values' such as learning right from wrong, taking turns, sharing and challenging negative attitudes and stereotypes.
Providers would be inspected against these criteria and those seen to be promoting extreme views would have their have their funding removed.
'It is important that children are taught fundamental British values in an age-appropriate way. For children in the early years, this will be about learning right from wrong and in practitioners challenging negative attitudes and stereotypes.
'We are currently consulting on statutory guidance that will set out the types of activity specified authorities should consider when complying with the proposed duty. For schools, including nurseries and other childcare providers, we would expect staff to have the training they need to identify children at risk of radicalisation and know where and how to refer them for further help if necessary,' the Home Office spokesperson told The Telegraph.
British early childhood organisations have urged providers to review their existing policies, but also called for more detailed guidance on implementing the plans.
Michael Freeston, director of quality improvement at the Pre-School Learning Alliance, told The Telegraph that providers must take a considered response to what is an emerging issue.
'As a first step, providers should review their existing equality, behaviour and safeguarding policies and procedures, as well as their terms and conditions to ensure that both staff and parents are clear on how any relevant situation - such as a child making comments deemed to be inappropriate or concerning - would be dealt with. Such an approach will help ensure the maintenance of early years environments that consistently promote positive values of equality, tolerance and respect for others.'
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