Counter terrorism officers from the Metropolitan Police have issued a stark warning to parents across the UK, urging them to stay vigilant for signs that their children may be vulnerable to radicalisation or being drawn into violent extremism.
Her comments come as statistics reveal a worrying trend. In 2023 and 2024, 43 and 39 under-18s respectively were arrested for terrorism-related offences—up from just three such arrests in 2002. Prevent referrals show a similar spike, with nearly 60% of all referrals in 2023/24 involving minors, compared to around 50% in 2016/17.
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Despite the rise, Corrigan stressed that actual radicalisation cases remain rare but highlighted the dangers of complacency.
“It is still only a very small proportion of young people who may actually be affected, but parents must not be fooled into thinking that this is something that only happens to others,” she said.
“We’ve had referrals and provided support through Prevent to a whole range of children, relating to a whole mix of different ideologies.”
Prevent is a national safeguarding programme designed to stop vulnerable individuals from being drawn into terrorism. It operates through collaboration between police and other safeguarding agencies, offering tailored support to those at risk.
The police also reminded the public to report any terrorist or extremist online content they come across via gov.uk/ACT.
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Anyone with concerns about a young person can visit the Act Early website or call the support line on 0800 011 3764 for free, confidential advice.
