The multi-agency partnership associated with Prevent referrals in England and Wales is the Channel panel, part of the UK Government’s Prevent programme. Prevent referrals are initially assessed by specialist police officers and staff; cases that meet the relevant threshold can then progress to a local authority-led Channel panel, where multiple agencies consider what safeguarding and support may be appropriate. 

What Is the Name of the Multi-Agency Partnership That Receives Prevent Referrals?

The answer is the Channel panel, often described as the Channel multi-agency panel in England and Wales.

Channel is a multi-agency safeguarding programme within the UK Government's Prevent strategy. It brings together relevant organisations to consider cases involving people who have been assessed as potentially susceptible to radicalisation and at risk of being drawn into terrorism. The panel is chaired by the relevant local authority and can include representatives from organisations such as the police, education, health and social services.

However, an important distinction is often missed: Prevent referrals do not simply go directly to a Channel panel in the first instance. Under the current process, Prevent referrals are initially triaged by specialist police officers and staff. Where appropriate, a referral can subsequently progress to Channel for multi-agency consideration and support.

What Happened?

The question of which partnership receives Prevent referrals relates to the structure of the UK's Prevent and Channel system.

Prevent is designed as an early-intervention and safeguarding programme. Its objective is to reduce the risk of people becoming involved in terrorism by identifying vulnerability and providing appropriate support before a person reaches the point of committing a terrorist act.

When a concern is identified, the person making the referral is expected to follow the "Notice, Check, Share" approach and, where appropriate, use the national Prevent referral form. The referral is then assessed through the established local process.

The key stages can be summarised as:

1. A concern is identified about a person's potential susceptibility to radicalisation.
2. The concern is checked through the appropriate safeguarding or Prevent process.
3. A Prevent referral is made to the police using the established referral pathway.
4. Specialist police officers and staff triage and assess the referral.
5. If the case meets the relevant threshold and Channel is considered appropriate, it can proceed to the local Channel panel.
6. The multi-agency panel considers whether voluntary support and intervention could help safeguard the individual.

Key Details

The most important facts about Prevent referrals and Channel are:

• Channel is the multi-agency safeguarding programme operating in England and Wales.
• Channel panels are chaired by local authorities.
• Panels can involve partners including police, education, health and children's or social services, depending on the individual case.
• Prevent referrals are initially triaged by specialist police officers and staff.
• A referral does not automatically mean that someone has committed a crime or is being accused of terrorism.
• Channel support is voluntary and consent-based.
• Cases that are unsuitable for Channel, including some cases considered too high-risk, may be managed through other arrangements.

Background: What Is Prevent?

Prevent is one part of the UK's wider counter-terrorism strategy, CONTEST.

Its focus is prevention and early intervention. The government describes Prevent as seeking to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. Current guidance places Prevent within a broader safeguarding framework, meaning concerns about vulnerability are considered alongside other potential safeguarding needs.

The system is deliberately multi-agency because no single organisation necessarily has all the information required to understand a person's circumstances.

For example, depending on the case, relevant information may come from education, health, social care, police or other statutory partners. This allows the Channel panel to consider a person's circumstances and vulnerabilities more broadly rather than relying on one source of information.

The government's Prevent duty toolkit says local areas should have a clear referral pathway and that a Prevent multi-agency partnership group should agree how referrals are made. It also notes that, in most cases, Prevent delivery is supported by a standalone multi-agency partnership group.

What Officials and Organisations Said

The current government guidance makes an important distinction between Prevent referral assessment and Channel support.

The Home Office's August 2026 Prevent programme factsheet says that Channel is Prevent's multi-agency safeguarding programme. It explains that Channel panels operate across England and Wales and are chaired by the local authority, with participation from relevant partners. Where referrals progress to Channel, the panel considers whether a tailored package of support should be offered.

The latest published Home Office statistics covering October 2024 to September 2025 similarly describe Channel as a multi-agency approach for supporting people susceptible to radicalisation. The statistics explain that a Channel panel, chaired by the local authority and involving other partners such as education and health representatives, considers relevant referrals.

The government's Channel guidance also states that Prevent referrals are initially triaged by specialist police officers and staff. This is why describing Channel simply as the organisation that "receives all Prevent referrals" can be misleading. The referral pathway involves several stages.

Why This Matters

Understanding the difference between Prevent, police assessment and Channel is important because these terms describe different parts of the same safeguarding system.

A Prevent referral is a concern raised about possible vulnerability to radicalisation. It does not automatically mean that the person is an extremist or terrorist.

The purpose of the referral process is to assess the concern and determine whether intervention or safeguarding support is appropriate.

If a case progresses to Channel, the panel can consider a range of support depending on the individual's circumstances. The government's current guidance emphasises that participation in Channel support is voluntary and requires consent.

This multi-agency approach also means that Channel is not simply a police programme. The local authority chairs the panel, while relevant partners contribute information and expertise.

What Happens Next?

After a Prevent referral is made, specialist police personnel assess the information. If the case is suitable for Channel, it can be considered by the local authority-led multi-agency panel.

The panel then considers the person's circumstances, vulnerabilities and potential support needs. Where appropriate, a tailored support package can be offered.

Not every Prevent referral progresses to Channel. Some referrals may not meet the relevant threshold, while others may be directed toward alternative services. The Home Office says referrals that are not suitable for Prevent may require no further action or may be signposted to other services, including education or health support.

There is also an important alternative pathway for higher-risk cases. According to the latest Home Office statistics, people who are considered too high-risk for Channel, or who do not provide consent for Channel support while concerns remain, may be considered for Police-Led Partnerships (PLP).

What About Scotland?

The terminology differs in Scotland.

Police Scotland explains that where a person is identified as requiring support through Prevent Case Management, multi-agency partners come together through a Prevent Multi-Agency Panel (PMAP). Scotland therefore uses the PMAP terminology rather than the Channel model used in England and Wales.

This distinction is useful when answering the question nationally: Channel is the answer for England and Wales, while Scotland uses Prevent Multi-Agency Panels (PMAPs).

FAQs

1. What is the name of the multi-agency partnership that receives Prevent referrals?

In England and Wales, it is the Channel panel, formally part of the Channel multi-agency safeguarding programme. Prevent referrals are initially assessed by specialist police officers before appropriate cases can progress to Channel.

2. Is Channel part of Prevent?

Yes. Channel is a safeguarding programme within Prevent. It provides multi-agency support for people assessed as susceptible to radicalisation and at risk of being drawn into terrorism.

3. Who chairs a Channel panel?

The local authority chairs the Channel panel in England and Wales. Other relevant organisations can participate depending on the circumstances of the case.

4. Do all Prevent referrals go to Channel?

No. Prevent referrals are initially triaged and assessed. Only cases considered appropriate and meeting the relevant threshold progress through the Channel pathway. Some referrals may instead receive no further action or be directed toward other services.

5. Is Channel support compulsory?

No. Channel support is voluntary and consent-based. The government says consent is required for participation in Channel support.

6. Is a Prevent referral an accusation of terrorism?

No. A Prevent referral is a safeguarding and assessment mechanism concerning potential susceptibility to radicalisation. A referral itself does not establish that a person has committed a terrorism offence.

7. What is the multi-agency panel called in Scotland?

In Scotland, the equivalent terminology is Prevent Multi-Agency Panel (PMAP). Police Scotland says that multi-agency partners come together through PMAP where a vulnerable individual is identified as requiring support through Prevent Case Management.

8. What happens if someone is considered too high-risk for Channel?

The latest Home Office statistics say that cases considered too high-risk for Channel may be considered for Police-Led Partnerships (PLP), which involve police working with other agencies.

Sources: UK Government/Home Office Prevent and Channel guidance, the Home Office's August 2026 Prevent programme factsheet and latest Prevent statistics, plus Police Scotland's official Prevent guidance.