I can't believe why more staff aren't posting with examples of poor treatment on here - why out of 200 staff am I the only one to post about this, people should be shouting from the rooftops. Yvonne Thomas is taking phonecalls this afternoon so it will be interesting to hear what questions staff call in with.
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People are frightened. They don't want to be identified & punished for revealing the reality. They know what the Trusts did, they heard what Sodexo did, they need their jobs. So far all I see TR has achieved is a raft of negative outcomes: splitting the service, distressing the staff, taking the piss. But from where I stand there's little I can change.
I took action - I took legal advice (expensive), I took union advice (pisspoor), I spoke with my MP (buffoon), I wrote to the press (ineffective), I challenged senior managers (unpleasant), I challenged the CEO (deeply unpleasant), I wrote to the Chair of the new owners (unanswered). The inevitable happened & I walked - I could still feel cold steel in my back for some considerable time. At least I tried. Others kept their counsel, kept their heads down, smiled & are still there as far as I know.
My thoughts are with those facing shitty times ahead.
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The funny thing is that this blog is reflective of probation staff. We all are stupid enough to have that bit of goodwill left, that hunger to learn the trade and commitment to deliver the service. This is despite the Royal shafting we've all taken in the ass from the probation service, and that's from Trust's, NPS and CRC's. Probation training and practice is now done on the cheap, staff are being let go, offenders are a commodity, offices are looking like McDonald's, unions are dead in the water, etc, etc, etc. There is no evidence base any more, nobody cares about the pros and cons of RM2000 and nobody is going to speak their mind in public for fear of reprisals.
The sad thing is that many waited for years for a probation professional association to be the voice of probation practice. Instead we have a union which changed its name from the National Association of Probation Officers to 'Napo'. Napo couldn't fight its way out of a paper bag and currently can't make a statement for probation without mentioning direct debit. Then the Probation Institute emerged which is so loaded with former probation chief officers that it couldn't represent staff and practice if it wanted too. Most of them were so far removed from probation work and so far up the backside of the Ministry of Justice that they surely cannot be regarded as "probation experts". Instead of being a champion for probation practice the PI has fast become a rubber-stamp for TR, MoJ initiatives and the perverse plans of private probation companies. Bottom line is, shaft probation and you can add FPInst after your name. http://probation-institute.org/about/fellows/
ReplyDeleteMarch 1st 2016 The Probation Institute is pleased to announce the appointment of seven new fellows:
DeleteLol Burke | Editor of Probation Journal, writer and former probation officer
Paul Davies | Specialist legal adviser justice and probation
Paul Hindson | Working Links Managing Director for UK Justice
Heather Munro OBE | Former Chief Executive of London Probation Trust
Alan Plumb | Career probation & rehabilitation training specialist
Dave Walton | Former Chief Officer and pioneer of Integrated Offender Management
David Ward | Professor of Social and Community Studies at De Montfort University
“These current and recent leaders bring to the Probation Institute a vast pool of knowledge and experience in probation and rehabilitation. This is invaluable as we move through uncertain and unsettling times in the justice sector.”
“At the Probation Institute we are committed to harnessing people’s experience as well as the latest research to guide on-going developments in rehabilitation and improve best practice,” said Savas Hadjipavlou, Institute Chief Executive.
Where are all the current practicing Probation Officers? Instead it's Paul Hindson of Working Links, Paul Davis legal advisor and Heather Munro who sold London community payback and then kept silent it was a total mess, wtf?! Savas Hadjipavlou former head of the PCA which kept silent about TR. "Improving best practice", the PI has said nothing against TR, staff cuts, the damaging practices of E3 and private companies. Look what working Links is doing and instead of condemning this it's made its managing director a fellow!!!! What the hell are Napo and Paul Senior doing being part of this TR Trojan Horse?
DeleteWhere's the diversity. All the 'fellows' are white British. Why is ABPO (Association of Black Probation Officers) propping up the PI.
DeleteThe Probation Institute welcomes current and recent leaders to the fellowship as we move through 'uncertain and unsettling times,' which I suppose is one way of describing the vandalism of the probation service. The use of 'we' suggests we are all going through this together, but some of the 'we' are instrumental in cutting probation to bone and calling this butchery innovative, whilst former probation leaders are some of those who led probation to the slaughterhouse. As for the academics, there are potential income streams to consider.
DeleteSometimes leaders can be hubristic: they look to live in the limelight irrespective of their behaviours and motivations. But as we know the masses can also rebel and reject – Tony Blair being a recent example and in his case there will be no future statues to topple. So, whilst the PI calls its fellows leaders, others, in the light of bitter experiences, become more discerning about the qualities they associate with leadership.
Victim Voices also have their place. The conspiracy theories surrounding child abuse in Lambeth are to be examined by Lowell Goddard, thanks to the magnificent efforts of BBC Newsnight investigators. It will be interesting to see if the wildest claims linking numerous high profile names carry any weight. One recent comment from a conspiracy theorist site goes something like his: "It wasn't so long ago that child abuse by big stars was thought to be ludicrous, let alone that the BBC would protect them. Now we have Saville, Harris & Stuart Hall serving jail terms for child abuse and an inquiry critical of the BBC. So why is the idea of a VIP elite paedophile group involving MPs, peers & other very powerful men still regarded as fantasy? The truth will be revealed."
ReplyDeleteI see the Telegraph has a piece today discussing Paul Boateng and his alleged links.
Deletehttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/12180276/Met-detective-removed-from-post-after-saying-he-wanted-to-approach-Paul-Boateng-about-child-sex-abuse-case.html
A Scotland Yard detective was removed from his post after telling colleagues he wanted to approach Paul Boateng - then government minister in charge of police - about the activities of a convicted paedophile.
DeleteThe BBC has reported that sources believe Det Insp Clive Driscoll intended to ask Mr Boateng what if he knew anything about a known child abuser, John Carroll, who had been running Angell Road care home in South London. But before Mr Driscoll could approach him in 1998, he was taken off the case.
There is no suggestion Paul Boateng had done anything wrong, and he has denied any personal or professional affiliation with Mr Carroll. However two people who had given information to Mr Driscoll’s inquiry spoke to BBC Two's programme Newsnight, and suggested Mr Carroll and Mr Boateng did know each other.
A social worker, Teresa Johnson, who had worked with Carroll at Angell Road, said she had seen Mr Boateng at the home on up to six occasions during the mid-1980s. Another witness claimed he had seen Mr Boateng during caravan holidays for children run by a charity, called the Association of Combined Youth Clubs. Carroll was a member of the ACYC.
The witness claimed Carroll had boasted of his friendship with Mr Boateng. This witness told Newsnight: "John Carroll would regularly talk about him [Paul Boateng] being able to open doors for him."
Lord Boateng told the BBC he has no recollection of going to Angell Road or of meeting Mr Carroll. He said he remembered the ACYC charity but has no recollection of visiting during the caravan holidays.
Justice Lowell Goddard this month begins hearings for her inquiry into historical allegations of child sexual abuse in a wide range of institutions, and has stated that one of her priorities will be to get to the bottom of what happened in Lambeth.
There are some very disturbing & distressing allegations about the activities of Paedophile rings in Lambeth. It is thought Boateng must have known something because apparently his wife, Janet, was employed by Lambeth Social Services at the time. Hopefully Justice Goddard will be able to clarify what really happened & who knew. I don't care who the abusers are, to be honest, I just want to see them convicted & imprisoned, and if they have traded on their "celebrity" or "status", to see those pedestals of false reputation smashed. It would be an added bonus if they would actually admit what they did was vile & wrong, and name all of their 'friends' so thousands of victims can achieve some sort of closure.
DeleteInteresting that Boateng's Wikipedia's page has been edited today.
Deletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Boateng#Personal_life
Details relating to the conviction of his son's sexual offence was deleted.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/8889277/Lord-Boatengs-son-jailed-over-sex-assault.html
Newsnight on Boateng.
Deletehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b072fwn3/newsnight-01032016
It would seem that non-legal variables – class, wealth, location of offence - are mediating in this case between the crime and us sentence – that would entail addressing a pattern of offending behaviour. He was fined for a first offence of DV related offence despite there being two previous DV callouts.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/drunken-yob-who-attacked-girlfriend-7477109#rlabs=1%20rt$category%20p$4
I wouldn't rely on one newspaper article to give the whole story. According to this article he received a community order.
Deletehttp://www.kentonline.co.uk/weald/news/you-have-no-god-given-right-91936/
It's probably the case that the Mirror article has reported the costs and compensation as a fine.
Also the sentencing guidelines for domestic violence identify a proven history of violence or threats in a domestic setting as an aggravating factor when sentencing. I am not sure that two call-outs, in the absence of further information, would count. Sounds like a standard result for domestic criminal damage and common assault to me.
As the Mirror article reported,
Delete'Police had twice previously been called out to deal with domestic incidents with Weatherburn and Miss Fidge.'
There is evidence here of a pattern of domestic related offending. In DV cases the only reason for seeking callout information is to see if there is evidence of a pattern. We know that a first conviction for DV is often the tip of an iceberg. I have known of cases where a sentence would have required the addressing of DV issues – but not in this case.
Petition on 38 degrees asking for Freedom of Information to be extended to private companies.
ReplyDeleteIt is in the sub clause unless government funded.it was posted on here anyone have some practice detail.
DeleteLottery update as promised. £2 stake invested, "free" lucky dip was the reward. So we have to wait until Saturday now.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to some time off, been emotionally and mentally traumatised by the sheer vastness associated work demands of NPS caseload of 56! Completely knackered, sleep on the menu for the next week!
ReplyDeleteWhat are your case loads looking like for your area?
ReplyDeletePO, Teesside, hovering around 60. It was around 35-40 before TR and one can only presume that it's going to go higher still.
DeletePart time (25hr) PO Greater Manchester I have 43 cases.
ReplyDeletePO South Yorks NPS 41 cases and rising.
ReplyDeletelots of staff on sick leave. Lots of stress, no admin as they are now covering reception, court and the office. It's crazy. Bring on the early exit strategy
PSO's in London with 90 cases and 52% capacity due to continual tweeking of the the WMT!!!
ReplyDeletePO's and PSO's - Northumbria CRC - 80+ cases #spinningplates. WMT has been archived!!!!!
ReplyDelete