A website which aims to support parents who might think their child is ‘being targeted by extremists' has been launched.
The website, www.familiesmatter.org.uk, has been developed by UK-based organisation Families Against Stress and Trauma (FAST), which provides support to vulnerable families and individuals at risk of radicalisation.
The website states, ‘Extremists are targeting impressionable young people through social media and the internet in order to influence their minds in much the same way that sexual predators operate online.Their message can have a powerful impact on someone who’s young, possibly unsure of their path in life, and may lack confidence’.


In particular it aims to assist those parents who might think their child is heading to Syria to join ISIS.
It lists a number of behaviour changes in the spot the signs section. This includes among other traits ‘a tendency to look for conspiracy theories and distrust of mainstream media.’
Speaking to Asian Image this week when asked about these specific points, Saleha Jaffer, founder of Families Against Stress and Trauma, said this was ‘not a defined set of indicators.
“Many young people, Muslim and non-Muslim alike are cynical about mainstream media, and search for news from alternative sources. This isn’t unusual.
“We want to be clear in our website that there is no defined set of indicators, and that the attitudes we mention, including having a distrust of mainstream media, can be perfectly normal for teenagers. 
“However, we know from the families we’ve worked with that there are some common signals parents can be aware of which, when taken together, mean a young person might be vulnerable to harmful influences.”


FAST hopes that by using real case studies and providing expert advice, that parents will be empowered to intervene well before they consider travelling to join extremist groups such as ISIS.
The section also asks parents to notice if a family member ‘has changed their style of dress or personal appearance to fit with newfound ideas?’
Was this a suggestion  that young people who might ‘dress differently’ or become more religious are in danger of being radicalised?
“Not at all - many young people who have travelled to Syria couldn’t be described in any way as religiously conservative.” Said Saleha
“But an unexplained and sudden change in appearance or dress can mean that something has changed in their life, and it may be a sign that they are overly influenced by their peer group. 
“Changes can include things like getting a tattoo, sudden efforts to get fit, or even the opposite- that they have stopped caring about their appearance. 
“This would only be a concern in the right context and if there were other worrying behaviours. Parents should use their instincts if they feel something is not right.”

Do these signs listed on the website make you more susceptible to extremism?
Are they quick to condemn those who don’t agree, and do they ignore viewpoints which contradict their own?
Do they express themselves in a divisive ‘them and us’ manner about others who do not share their religion or beliefs?
Has their language changed? Have they asked inappropriate questions, or expressed themselves in a way that sounds scripted? Have they used derogatory terms such as ‘kaffir’ or ‘rafidi’, or terms such as ‘dawlah’ or ‘khilafah’?
Are they spending increasing amounts of time online, and are they overly secretive about what they are doing?
Have they changed their style of dress or personal appearance to fit with newfound ideas?
Have they expressed sympathy with violent extremist groups such as ISIS, condoning their actions and ideology?
Have they expressed sympathy or understanding for other young British people who have joined these groups?

The organisation clarified that no details would be passed on to security services and it was not funded directly by the government but had received ‘advice and professional guidance from government’.
“We’re here for the families, and we treat everything they tell us in confidence. All we’re asking on the website is for parents to talk to their child first if they feel something is wrong.” Said Saleha
“We’re not part of any programme. We are a small organisation and we’re lucky enough to be able to rely on the kind of support of benefactors, a fantastic network of volunteers and public grants. 
“We’ve been very grateful for advice and professional guidance from Government which we sought when developing the site, and their continued support promoting our Families Matter campaign through their community networks.”


To support the launch of the new site, FAST and its Families Matter campaign is embarking on a series of national community visits across the UK, to reach out to parents and families to empower them through a series of workshops, film showcases and one-to-one advice, to tackle this threat to children.
The first events will take place in March 2015 and will include East London, Leeds, Liverpool, Leicester, Luton and Stoke-on-Trent.


Saleha added, “As parents it is important that we take responsibility and play our part in stopping children travelling to Iraq or Syria, which is in most cases a one-way ticket, to join perpetrators of the most evil and heinous crimes.
“It is vital that we understand the risks our children face and are able to engage with them in order to have a frank and honest two-way conversation about this complicated subject.”