11-year-old 'watched beheading video' at home with parents

400 under-10s have been referred to the Government's de-radicalisation programme

From 2015 all schools have had a legal obligation to “due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”. (Getty/Matt Cardy)

More than 400 children under the age of 10 have been referred to the Government’s flagship de-radicalisation programme over the last four years, with allegations that one child watched a beheading video with family members, it has been claimed.

An additional 1,424 11-to 15-year-olds have also been referred to the Channel programme over the same period, according to details obtained by a freedom of information request by the National Police Chiefs' Council. Most of the referrals came from those who work in education and are from the West Midlands.

The programme also reported allegations that one family sat down, with a child under 11-years-old, and watched a video of a beheading.

One parent interviewed said the Government’s de-radicalisation programme had made the classroom similar to a “spy room” with teachers on the lookout for signs of extremism. The parent added that her son was questioned by staff at a school after he said the word "eco-terrorist".

“He was then taken to a room and interrogated by two women he didn’t recognise… he was asked if he was affiliated to Isis,” the parent said.

Channel is part of the Government’s anti-radicalisation strategy, Prevent, and focuses on providing support at an early stage to those who are identified as being vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism. It provides a mechanism for schools to make referrals if they are concerned that a child might be susceptible to radicalisation.

The programme, however, is voluntary and no child can be involved without parental consent. BBC Radio 4 added that since 2012 the Government claims there have been around 4,000 referrals with only ‘hundreds’ of people agreeing to take part.

Kalsoom Bashir, co-director of the anti-extremism charity Inspire and regional trainer on the Government’s Prevent strategy in the south-west, said: “It’s the jobs of the police and the security services to stop terrorists and to spot them…what is mandatory for teachers is to act upon any kind of troubling behaviour – that troubling behaviour may be signs of sexual exploitation…family breakdown or it may be vulnerability such as isolation and loneliness that could lead to being exploited by extremists”

“Prevent covers all forms of extremism. Not long ago our organisation was in a school where we were told the school was dealing with troubling behaviour from pupils who were vulnerable to far-right extremism… as well as pupils who were being exposed to very extreme harmful videos online which could have a damaging impact.”

Security Minister John Hayes added: "This is about safeguarding and it's working. This is about protection, this is about help, this is about providing all the support you need to make sure your children are safe."

From 2015 all schools have had a legal obligation to “due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”.