Protective services
Probation service practitioner
Practitioners work with individuals eligible for probation support, this includes individuals in court, individuals who have been convicted and victims.
Summary
This occupation is found in the Probation Service. The Probation Service is responsible for working to protect the public and reduce reoffending by working with individuals eligible for probation support at pre-sentence, or on probation, or in custody or with victims. Practitioners can be based in a variety of locations, including prisons, courts, approved premises, unpaid work, interventions teams or community-based offices and depending on their location, they will work with individuals due to be sentenced, people on probation or victims.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to protect the public by contributing to risk assessments that reduce re-offending, safeguard victims and rehabilitate individuals eligible for probation support, through effective engagement and interventions. Risk assessments can be conducted in relation to those who come before courts accused of offending behaviour, individuals convicted of offending behaviour and assessment of risk towards victims. These assessments may take the form of formal documents or may be as part of day-to-day engagement with individuals eligible for probation support.
Probation service practitioners will work with individuals eligible for probation support and other agencies to develop, deliver and review realistic plans to address needs and develop for individuals a route out of offending. This may include providing information and advice to courts such as sentencing recommendations, supervising people on probation subject to community sentences and custody, working in approved premises where individuals are required to reside if they are subject to specific sentencing requirements, working to supervise individuals sentenced to complete unpaid work in the community or delivering group interventions to deliver the sentences of the courts. The role may also include working directly with victims of crime to support them to access services and provide them with information about the progress of sentences imposed by the courts to protect them from further harm and offending behaviour.
Interventions delivered vary depending on the role and can cover a range of activities. This can include the completion of reports for a range of audiences, one to one intervention with individuals eligible for probation support, group interventions to reduce the risk of reoffending, provision of support and guidance and referrals to other agencies.
As a practitioner you need to be able to analyse complex information and make decisions, while being ready to listen and question things about people that others won’t. You’ll also need to understand and connect with people from all backgrounds and different situations.
Consistent risk assessment, professional curiosity and liaison with other agencies are key factors in effective management and support of individuals eligible for probation support. The role will include regular engagement with other agencies and colleagues to prevent crime and meet the needs of individuals eligible for probation support.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with individuals eligible for probation support. People they work with may demonstrate a range of challenging behaviours and diverse needs, as such, the employee will need to demonstrate a range of engagement skills and the ability to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences. They will need to demonstrate empathy, help individuals to change behaviour and access support. Employees will need to have good people skills and the ability to deal with challenges. They will also interact with colleagues and other agencies involved in the Criminal Justice system. The interaction will aid making assessments and delivering rehabilitative interventions. This ensures that the organisation is working to protect the public, as such, individuals will need to be able to alter communication appropriately for the audience. In this role the practitioner will typically report to a senior probation officer or equivalent other line manager.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for providing sustained support, advice and supervision for individuals eligible for services from the probation service. They will work as part of a team to meet operational targets and will make ongoing assessments and responsive decisions based on an individual’s assessed risk of serious harm, reoffending and needs.
In line with probation service policies and procedures, the practitioner must at all times demonstrate a commitment to equality and inclusion and an understanding of the relevance of that to the work they do.
The practitioner must follow all policies relating to the sensitive or confidential nature of the information handled whilst working in this role and use computer base systems to produce, update and maintain records and other documentation within agreed timescales.
The practitioner will be required to maintain continuous professional development through out their employment and will be required to adhere to organisational ethics, vales and professional standards.
Typical job titles include
- Community payback supervisor | Domestic abuse safety officer | Probation services officer | Programmes facilitator | Residential worker | Victim liaison officer
Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs)
K1:
Sentencing and criminal justice legislation and organisational policies, procedures for probation practice.
K2:
Principles and policies of equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace and their impact on the organisation and individuals eligible for probation support.
K3:
The importance of applying criminal justice legislation and organisational policies, procedures and values in practice with individuals eligible for probation support, and the risk of not doing so.
K4:
The role of probation and rehabilitation in the criminal justice system.
K5:
How organisations work collaboratively to support individuals eligible for probation support to reduce the risk of reoffending and harm.
K6:
The importance of gathering information and where to gather that information from to inform risk assessments.
K7:
How information is used for different risk assessment approaches.
K8:
The impact of an individual's personal circumstances on risk of reoffending and harm and the importance of including them in risk assessments.
K9:
The importance of assessing the impact and consequences of offending behaviour on the victim.
K10:
How to reduce risk and raise concerns by identifying harm and abuse indicators and potential risk factors that may lead individuals eligible for probation support to harm themselves or others.
K11:
Methods and approaches for effective engagement with individuals eligible for probation support including the principles of ‘person-centred approach’.
K12:
The contextual aspects of risk including risk of what, to whom and circumstances in which risk is likely to be higher or lower.
K13:
Roles and responsibilities of agencies working to protect the public, and how they apply to and collaborate with probation practitioner roles and responsibilities.
K14:
Principles of team work to achieve outcomes.
K15:
The interventions and their delivery methods that are available to help individuals eligible for probation support.
K16:
Theories and techniques to promote engagement and how they support outcomes that reduce the risk of reoffending.
K17:
Data protection legislation and organisational policies and procedures for gathering, using, storing data including sharing data with partner agencies.
K18:
How to identify your own development needs and how to reflect on own practice.
K19:
The principles of ‘duty of care’ and ‘safeguarding’, the signs of abuse and ways to reduce the risk of abuse.
K20:
Research, evidence and theories that underpin knowledge on offending behaviour, desistence and reduction of harm.
Technical Educational Products
- ST0494: Probation service practitioner (Level 3) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC0494
- Status:
Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £26,739 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 3229 Welfare and housing associate professionals n.e.c.
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 3229/08 Probation service workers
S1:
Complete risk assessments to inform judgement about risk of harm and reoffending and provide public protection.
S2:
Devise interventions based on risk assessment to inform risk management plans.
S3:
Gather valid and reliable information from sources to inform risk assessments.
S4:
Use information to monitor progress of individual plans.
S5:
Respond to any new information to manage and reduce risk of harm and risk of reoffending, posed by individuals subject to supervision, in accordance with organisational requirements.
S6:
Record gathered information using digital tools, in line with data protection and security of information and adhering to organisational requirements.
S7:
Present assessments of risk of harm, that inform risk of reoffending posed by individuals subject to supervision and plans to manage the risks, to stakeholders for implementation and review.
S8:
Support individuals eligible for probation support to access probation services.
S9:
Use reflection techniques to enable individuals eligible for probation support to identify their level of participation and progress.
S10:
Use engagement and motivation techniques to support collaboration with individuals eligible for probation support, adapting approach to individual needs to effectively deal with a range of challenging behaviour.
S11:
Adhere to public protection and safeguarding guidance and procedures.
S12:
Build and sustain working relationships.
S13:
Collaborate with colleagues and other agencies to share information about individuals eligible for probation support and review progress, in line with organisation policies.
S14:
Follow organisational equality, diversity and inclusion policies.
S15:
Maintain continuous professional development using reflective practice and completion of mandatory and required learning and development.
S16:
Manage own workload, prioritising case management for those with most identified needs to reduce risk of harm and reoffending, posed by those subject to supervision.
S17:
Use recorded servicer user information in line with organisations policy and processes to support delivery of services.
S18:
Use escalation routes to resolve issues and concerns, in line with organisation requirements, in relation to areas of your work.
S19:
Test professional assumptions using a range of sources to inform risk of harm and reoffending, posed by those subject to supervision.
Technical Educational Products
- ST0494: Probation service practitioner (Level 3) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC0494
- Status:
- Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £26,739 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 3229 Welfare and housing associate professionals n.e.c.
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 3229/08 Probation service workers
B1:
Demonstrate professional conduct, uphold organisational values, and professional boundaries.
B2:
Demonstrate resilience and adaptability when dealing with challenge and changes.
B3:
Seek support for own welfare.
B4:
Demonstrate and encourage mutual respect, demonstrating inclusive practice and empathy to support individuals eligible for probation support.
B5:
Listen actively in all interactions with individuals eligible for probation support and show respect whilst being able to validate, question and reflect on what is being said.
Technical Educational Products
- ST0494: Probation service practitioner (Level 3) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC0494
- Status:
- Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £26,739 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 3229 Welfare and housing associate professionals n.e.c.
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 3229/08 Probation service workers
