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Scotland Yard counter-terrorism officers are warning London parents to look out for signs their child has been radicalised in the wake of hit TV drama Adolescence.
Detective Superintendent Jane Corrigan said the Netflix show which examines so-called incel culture is “grounded in a reality that we are seeing more and more”.
She urged loved ones to trust their instincts and get in touch “before it might become too late”.
Adolescence - about a teenage boy accused of killing a girl from his school - has prompted a national conversation about online safety.
This Is England star Stephen Graham plays Eddie Miller, the father of 13-year-old Jamie (Owen Cooper), who sees armed police burst into his home to arrest his son.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hosted a roundtable at Downing Street with co-creator Jack Thorne and children’s charities on Monday to talk about young boys being dragged into a “whirlpool” of misogyny.
Det Supt Corrigan, the Metropolitan Police’s London Prevent co-ordinator, said: “The themes and storyline in Adolescence have sparked some incredibly important debate about dangerous rhetoric and ideologies that young schoolchildren can be exposed to through online and social media platforms.
“While it’s a fictitious drama, the story is grounded in a reality that we are seeing more and more in our work within Counter-Terrorism Policing.
“Young people are being referred into us, and in almost every instance, a big part of their vulnerability is coming from what they are doing, seeing and consuming online.
“But it’s actually those who aren’t being referred to us who most concern us. That’s why it is so important that parents and carers are taking an active interest in what their child is doing online - to have those conversations and be aware of the potential warning signs. And if following that, they are still concerned or worried about their child, then it’s really important they reach out for more help as quickly as possible.
“The Act Early website is an excellent starting place, with tips and guidance on how to have those conversations and some of the warning signs to look out for. And there is also a support line they can call to get advice direct from one of our specialist officers.”
Prevent is the government-led programme which aims to stop vulnerable people from being drawn into terrorism, with police working with other safeguarding agencies to provide the necessary support.
Both 2023 and last year were the highest two years on record in terms of the number of under-17s being arrested for terror-related offences, with 43 and 39 detained respectively.
In 2002, there were only three such arrests. Even as recently as 2019, the equivalent figure was as low as 12.
Prevent referral figures paint a similar picture, with almost six out of ten being under 17 in the last two years - up from around five in ten in 2016/17.
Det Supt Corrigan added: “I appreciate that this might seem quite daunting or unsettling for some parents or carers. And while it is still only a very small proportion of young people who may actually be affected, parents must not be fooled into thinking that this is something that only happens to others.
“We’ve had referrals and provided support through Prevent to a whole range of children, relating to a whole mix of different ideologies.”
Visit the ACT Early website - actearly.uk - or call the Act Early Support Line on 0800 011 3764, in confidence, to speak with specially-trained officers.
