Social work and the government Prevent Agenda

This proposed research project will explore the implications of the Government’s Prevent agenda and the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 for adult safeguarding or child protection. The Act defined the roles of several authorities, including Education, Health and Social Care in preventing people from being drawn into terrorism. It introduced new concepts, procedures and interventions through which adult safeguarding and child protection takes place when concerns regarding radicalization are raised. In June 2018, the government published its CONTEST 2018 strategy document that reaffirms, continues and develops the direction of Prevent. The 2015 Act had implications for many thousands of employees, service users and carers in the public, private and third sectors (HO, 2018). These dramatic changes were only evaluated internally by the Home Office and the evaluations were never published. While there is a growing number of publications which are critical of the Government’s Prevent agenda, only few are based on empirical data, and none of them on data relating specifically to adults.

These facts highlight the urgent need for empirical data about the intended and the unintended consequences of the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 on adult safeguarding in the UK, as well as its wider social and ethical implications.

To collect such empirical data, the proposed project is likely to be based on mixed methods and will include a survey, semi-structured interviews, participant observations and case studies. This details of the proposal will be finalized with the PhD applicant. The project has the following aims:

1. In relation to social care and health professionals involved in adult safeguarding:
   • To ascertain how confident these professionals feel about their understanding of their duties under the 2015 Act and about their ability to comply with these duties
   • To discover how motivated they are to comply with these duties
   • To explore their perception and understanding of radicalization and their confidence in discussing with service users their religious and non-religious beliefs, values and culture
   • To examine professionals’ perception and understanding of the Government’s Prevent agenda and its current implementation
2. To explore the language, processes, procedures and systems involved in implementing the Prevent Duty
3. To examine case studies of service users through which we will also gain service users’ perspectives
4. To draw on the findings to provide recommendations for policy and practice

How to apply

If you are interested in applying for the above PhD topic please follow the steps below:

1. Contact the supervisor by email or phone to discuss your interest and find out if you would be suitable. Supervisor details can be found on this topic page. The supervisor will guide you in developing the topic-specific research proposal, which will form part of your application.
2. Click on the 'Apply here' button on this page and you will be taken to the relevant PhD course page, where you can apply using an online application.
3. Complete the online application indicating your selected supervisor and include the research proposal for the topic you have selected.

Good luck!

This is a self funded topic

Brunel offers a number of funding options to research students that help cover the cost of their tuition fees, contribute to living expenses or both. See more information here: https://www.brunel.ac.uk/research/Research-degrees/Research-degree-funding. The UK Government is also offering Doctoral Student Loans for eligible students, and there is some funding available through the Research Councils. Many of our international students benefit from funding provided by their governments or employers. Brunel alumni enjoy tuition fee discounts of 15%.