Nearly 2,000 children referred to deradicalisation programme in four years

Nearly 2,000 children have been referred to a deradicalisation programme over the last four years Credit: PA

Nearly 2,000 children in England and Wales have been referred to a deradicalisation programme over the last four years.

Records released under freedom of information laws show 1,800 children were referred to the Government's Channel scheme, with some young children reported to have watched beheading videos with relatives.

Since last July, teachers have been legally obliged to report any suspected extremist behaviour to police as part of the Government's Prevent anti-radicalisation strategy.

Some young children were reported to have watched beheading videos with relatives Credit: Reuters

The figures obtained by the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) show 771 referrals were made by schools.

Local authorities, police, faith institutions and health services also made recommendations, although full details of who made the referrals have not been kept.

410

children aged 10 and under referred to the Channel programme.

1,424

children aged 11 to 15 referred to Channel.

The West Midlands had the highest number of referrals, with 126 youngsters up to the age of 10 and 283 older children.

Wales had the lowest, with 20 cases.

Sally Bates, of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), said some young children had watched beheading videos with relatives.

She told the BBC: "That does raise a number of concerns and that's where I can understand that referrals are then made from teachers."

It emerged on Wednesday that a 10-year-old Muslim boy was quizzed by police aftermistakenly writing that he lived in a "terrorist house" rather than a "terraced house".