The Rights & Security International (RSI) charity is challenging the treatment of autistic individuals under the UK government's Prevent scheme, arguing that it violates equality laws through overreporting. A 2021 analysis revealed that over a quarter of individuals in the Channel programme, aimed at serious radicalization cases, were diagnosed or suspected of autism. Concerns include insufficient data collection on those referred and a lack of healthcare support, leading to potential discrimination. RSI is calling for the government to reassess its approach and ensure proper monitoring of the scheme’s impact on neurodivergent individuals.
The government needs to seriously rethink its approach to the Prevent programme, and in the meantime, authorities need to properly monitor the programme's equality impact.
RSI is concerned that the government is not adequately addressing the risk of overreporting autistic people.
Having obtained previously undisclosed Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs) carried out in 2023, RSI warns of an ongoing failure to comply with their public sector equality duty.
A 2021 Home Office analysis found that over a quarter of those receiving support from the Channel programme had a diagnosis or suspected diagnosis of autism.
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