Monthly safeguarding bulletin - May 2024

May's Safeguarding Bulletin discusses the support available to Woodspeen Training and JTM learners through The Better Health Generation. 

The Better Health Generation Learner Health Advisory Service

We aim to create a safe and caring learning environment where the well-being of our learners and staff is a priority. In partnership with the Better Health Generation (TBHG) we wanted to remind you of the great additional health and wellbeing support and guidance that is available.

The Learner Health Advisory Service can provide:

• A free telephone counselling service provided by qualified Mental and Physical Health Nurses, Counsellors, and Occupational Therapists
• A completely confidential service
• Up to six 1-1 counselling sessions

Support Available

• Managing emotions, stress & anxiety, depression/low mood
• Alcohol and drug support
• Emotional wellbeing assessment & support
• Overcoming loneliness in self-isolation & anxiety in times of change
• Grief & loss
• Wellbeing & lifestyle management, such as sleeping, exercising & eating well
• Challenging unhelpful thinking

Speak to your tutor or contact a member of JTM’s Safeguarding team to be referred.

After a referral to TBHG is made, a member of the TBHG team will make contact within 5 working days to book an initial appointment. A clinician will then complete an initial assessment to determine individual needs and circumstances, with a plan of support.

The Learner Health Advisory Service is:

• Confidential What you speak about will be confidential between yourself and your clinician; unless there are safeguarding concerns for yourself, the learner or someone close to you, then the clinician may need to share this concern. Basic information such as attendance at sessions will be shared, and with the learners permission further information may be shared
• Commitment To ensure to get the best from this service we ask for full engagement and commitment once the referral has been made. There is an expectation of being available at appointment times. When arranging times think carefully about what time best suits and when less likely to have interruptions, if you are unable to make an appointment you must contact your counsellor to let them know

If you are unable to attend an appointment, 48-hour notice must be given to TBHG.

We are charged for each session if learners do not attend and have not given notice. If 2 or more sessions are missed the service maybe withdrawn. This service can only be provided to Woodspeen Training/JTM learners, so withdrawals from your training programme or apprenticeship, we will not be able to continue funding the support.

Prevent and Radicalisation

The current UK national terrorist threat level is ‘substantial’, which is defined as ‘an attack is likely’. This level has been unchanged since February 2022 and is set by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre and the Security Service (MI5).

The threat to Northern Ireland from Northern Ireland-related terrorism is ‘severe’, which is defined as ‘an attack is highly likely’.
For more information: https://www.gov.uk/terrorism-national-emergency

Leeds man sentenced for ‘Supporting Hamas’

In April, a 23-year-old man from Leeds was given a 16-week custodial sentence, suspended for two years, for demonstrating support for the proscribed organisation Hamas. He will also be subject to a rehabilitation requirement for 35 days and 100 hours of community service.

Ozain Ibn Yousef admitted publishing pro-Hamas content on his X account in October and November last year. This included posting images of armed soldiers wearing Hamas headbands, in addition to sharing Hamas led videos.

He was arrested in November 2023, as part of an investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing Northeast and charged in February with publishing a series of images in such a way, or in such circumstances, as to arouse reasonable suspicion that he is a supporter of a proscribed organisation, namely Hamas, contrary to section 13(1A) and (3) of the Terrorism Act 2000.

Since last October, the national Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit (CTIRU) has received more than 3000 public referrals relating to the conflict. The majority of these referrals relate to pro-Hamas content.

Specialist officers assess each referral to determine whether the content is potentially in breach of terrorism legislation, requires further investigation, or highlights any safeguarding concerns. Any sites deemed to be hosting extremist content are taken down.

The Head of Counter Terrorism Policing Northeast said:

“Supporting or glorifying acts of terrorism, and the groups engaged in them, helps to further terrorist objectives by extending their reach and influence.

Anyone demonstrating support for proscribed organisations like Hamas can expect to be prosecuted. We will deny them any opportunity to increase their profile or promote their violent agenda. Removing harmful, violent, and extremist content online is critical to our efforts to reduce the spread of terrorist material and propaganda”

For more information click here

Teenager from Isle of Wight sentenced for planning terrorist attack

A teenager from the Isle of Wight has been sentenced in April for planning a terrorist attack and other offences.

The 16-year-old boy was sentenced at Kingston Crown Court to seven years’ imprisonment after being found guilty by a jury at the same court in February this year. The boy cannot be named or identified for legal reasons.

After a trial, he was found guilty of one count of preparation of terrorist acts under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2000, three counts of dissemination of terrorist publications under Section 2 of the Terrorism Act 2006 and one count of having an article with a blade or point in a public place, contrary to Section 139 of the Criminal Justice Act 1998.

He was arrested in July 2022 following an investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing Southeast (CTPSE) after he was found to be planning to attack people he believed had insulted Islam.

When arrested the boy was found with a knife and notes that contained information relating to his plan. He also shared terrorist publications with others online, the ideology of which was influenced by Daesh.

The Head of CTPSE said:

“We know that terrorist groups use their toxic rhetoric to try exploit vulnerable people. This case was particularly concerning because a teenager had gone so far as taking active steps to prepare for an attack; thanks to a swift response we were able to stop him, and he has now been sentenced to imprisonment as a result of his actions. Where we can, we really do prefer to intervene early and divert young people away from extremism long before it gets to this point.

“So, if you are worried that someone you know is being drawn down a path of extremism, please do act by telling someone. There is support and advice available through ACT Early and Action Counters Terrorism.”

For more information click here