Tuesday 11 October 2016

News From Probation Institute 4

It's been a while since the Probation Institute was mentioned, indeed I didn't hear it mentioned at the Napo AGM at all, but here's the latest from the Acting Chief Executive:-

Dear all

Following my Blog in August some readers asked for an update on funding streams and projects in the Probation Institute, I hope the information below helps, but first I am pleased to say that the Probation Institute Board has firmly approved a set of proposals to move forward our strategy to become a Regulatory Body. The next step is to give these proposals wide coverage and to demonstrate the need for establishing and regulating clear professional standards across probation, rehabilitation and resettlement.

Concerning news about the progress of some CRCs in meeting the workloads and in maintaining staff conditions strengthens the need to ensure that professional standards are clear and maintained, and that all practitioners and managers are able to assert their
professionalism, their competence and qualifications through a Regulatory Body.

The use of the three terms "probation, rehabilitation and resettlement" is very deliberate in the Probation Institute. Although we have retained the name "probation" in our title (it would be a travesty to lose it) we are very clear in our wish to include practitioners, managers and leaders right across all the organisations working in this field which has become increasingly diverse and disaggregated in the recent changes. The Probation Institute is the professional body for all who work to reduce offending behaviour and risk of harm, affirming the capacity of individuals to change and the requirement to treat everyone with dignity and respect.

Probation Institute Funding and Activities

Our primary funding stream is from our membership. We now receive no funding from MOJ or any other government department. After the initial start up grant in 2014 we have not asked nor been offered. The directors are very keen to establish the financial independence of the Probation Institute. From our membership income we fund


* Strategy, Communication and Events
* Membership and the Probation Register
* Professional Practice and Training Committee
* Research Committee and Academic Advisory Panel
* Position Papers and response to consultations, select committees
* The Trailblazer Apprenticeship Expression of Interest
* Review of Electronic Monitoring

We have two externally funded projects; With the Forces in Mind Trust developing research and strategy for strengthening services to ex service personnel in the criminal justice system. This project will continue through 2017 and now needs to engage actively with NPS strategy on ex services personnel.

With the Magistrates Association to establish the Probation-Sentencer Liason Network to provide a safe but open forum for exchange of views on probation and sentencing. We launch the Network this week, on line and with two seminars in London on 18 October and Manchester on 17th November both to be introduced by Glenys Stacey HMI Probation. Please come along and share your views.

We have a small income from advertising jobs and that's it!

It goes without saying that our membership needs to grow and we hope readers who are not members of the PI will take the decision to join. Fees are low, and you will have noticed that we only restrict a modest amount of our overall offer to members as we want to reach out widely across NPS, CRCs and the voluntary sector.

This week we are completing our response to the Justice Select Committee Review of Prison Reform which we will make available to members and use to brief MPs.

Please get in touch if you have any questions or would like to know more.

Helen Schofield
Acting Chief Executive
September 2016

19 comments:

  1. For me the PI was born in unfortunate circumstances but that aside the concept is one I support. Professional standards and values, the idea of a body that seeks to protect, enhance and promote the gem and integrity that is the Probation ideal needs supporting in my view. To fail to put fear, grievances. appreciable as they be, aside will I believe be to the detriment of Probation as a recognised profession.

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  2. Roll up roll up roll up buy your discounted tickets here to join the almost forgone terminal outcome of the PBI. We claim great stuff professional practice PSO reform and all sorts to help make the world of probation a continuance through the parafigm of NPS public services and CRCs nobodies who can all be dispensed with a too expensive while delivering sod all to offender services. Roll up Roll Up hand over some cash to the PBI to help us work more quickl;y to assist in the final blowes tro the real probation services the final values of Assist advise and befriend as we consign any sensible services provision to papers of history. Roll UP join the PBI and help pay for another nail in the coffin of the once proud and able offender services publically owned that provided great services alas they are gone shortly and no thanks to PBI assisting the suicide. By a ticket join them why not nothing left to lose than subscription buy in and help pay for the end.

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    1. Fatalistic. What do others think? What's the solution that carries the Probation profession and all that such a concept entails forward? If not PI then who?

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    2. No one its nearly over .

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  3. I'm afraid they aren't going to get much support from us broken band of POs. Unfortunately we've nothing left to lose and we realise no one cares that we've been destroyed. It seems to me we just keep trying our best to do what we can of our job until we find a way out

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  4. I believe that had the PI developed prior to TR it would have flourished. I don't see how it can maintain professional standards when it failed to speak out against privatisation of probation services.

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    1. Privatisation and profit was and remains a huge contention for me too, particularly in our work. The modus operandi as Chris Grayling stated at the time was, 'I don't want to pay for a service I want to pay for results.' He is a, 'here today gone tomorrow politician.' I think the PI were likely in an invidious position, power as we know can be abusive and executive power is no exception. 'Probation' in my view, a hundred or more years in its history, will be here tomorrow. That is where my mind's eye is and PI can develop as a champion for the cause if given a chance. If it fails then we look elsewhere I suggest. I just do not see a credible alternative at this juncture.

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    2. Exactly, whatever the PI may say now, it has remained deafeningly silent over TR, the methods of implementation and the damage wrought to professional practice as a result. I will never join; not in a million years.
      Deb

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    3. Dunno 21:03 Possibly an attempt to be seen to be supportive of the directive labelled 'TR' (after all probation has always evolved to accommodate political and legislative changes of direction), without fully appreciating the ramifications of doing so on this occasion. A bit more clear sighted focus might have helped - and stronger representation of what the Members were saying.The rush to 'cosy up' to the idea made many Members feel they were being sold out.

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    4. Me again - have no idea why my comment above has attached its self here and not to 21:03!!!

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  5. Here's the thing. I am knackered, I have been at it all bloody day, trying to keep my head above water, my clients well-served and the public safe. During my working day I deleted Lord knows how many emails forwarded on by my manager "FYI" containing a plethora of training opportunities. I don't know if the PI is a good or bad thing, (starting to think it's a good thing) but we are drowning here in a sea of crap IT, lack of accommodation for our clients, a weekly round of contributions to the leaving present for a redundant colleague, the trauma of the departure of the redundant colleague, the effort of getting other equally shat on agencies to step up to MAPPA. Hell, this feels like an add on I haven't the time to engage with

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    1. Sounds like my day ! The only thing that keeps me going is my lovely colleagues who have gone through this experience with me. Unfortunately they are becoming fewer and fewer and the replacements seem to just want a job not a beloved career I hate what Probation has become

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  6. me 19:28 again. The responsibility for making our profession a profession is being palmed off on us.

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  7. The death knell for NAPO, no room for two professional associations.

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    1. Why did NAPO support PI's birth if it does as you say it spells it's own end. NAPO surely saw some shared aims. They can co - exist and co - operate I would argue.

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    2. The PI is full of fellows and ex authority and napo people you would never want to work with its all toxic to genuine probation back in the public services. You can argue on your own not even an example in your post .

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  8. The PI had every opportunity to speak out against TR and the destruction of a previous award winning public service, it failed to do so and I will not join for free let alone pay. And perhaps Helen Schofield, you may wish to note that CRCs also work with ex veterans and not just NPS, have you consulted CRCs to ask about there strategy for working with this group of vulnerable adults. You may also lije to consider that many of the staff working in the CRCs across this country are indeed staff shafted by MOJ. They are the very same people who helped probation trusts meet their gold standard service and who were credited with good or outstanding performance until Grayling destroyed our Service. It's not the staff doing the daily job that has resulted in the failure of TR, it's the models of delivery having to be run on a shoe string because the MOJ couldn't get their figures right and greedy profiteers put money before the needs of people, something the Tory Government promotes. Shame on Grayling, shame on Tory and Lib Dem government and MPs, shame on the majority of Chiefs Officers of Probations Trusts, shame on other public sector workers and indeed the public for allowing this mess to happen. The world was warned but no one listened and now we all pay the price, the disaster unfolds and everyone is now gasping.

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  9. Probation Officer12 October 2016 at 09:00

    "The use of the three terms "probation, rehabilitation and resettlement" is very deliberate in the Probation Institute. Although we have retained the name "probation" in our title (it would be a travesty to lose it) we are very clear in our wish to include practitioners, managers and leaders right across all the organisations working in this field".

    This statement sums up what the PI is. Not for probation, not for probation practitioners, and the bottom line not a "probation" institute. Yes we have called for a professional association for many years (a role Napo should have filled) but this is not it. I know nobody that's joined and I'm not surprised.

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  10. Here lies a the very real dilemma of the 'Duty Of Care' which many of those reading this Blog would have hoped/wanted from PI. However, I also accept it was never going to 'stand against' TR or pro-actively campaign too highlight its impact on OUR Staff/Communities/Working arrangements. Although, I do value it drawing the Public to a number of recent damning Inspections. Rather,its seeks to salvage some of the remnants of Probations Essence, Rich Legacy,Identity and Professionalism. I too echo many of the sentiments shared above and feel that sense of powerlessness and shame neither, to have the words and or the voice to consistently 'Stand Up/By a Much Loved Public Service. Many of whom, still firmly believe 'Unification' is the only way forward. I acknowledge that the PI is working on the basis of 'Moving Forward' and that of 'letting go of the past and needing to embrace/work with something that many are still fundamentally opposed too. That's where OUR thoughts, feelings, heart and voice remain in an altogether different places and that's where for me the dilemma remains. Sending best wishes to ALL our staff/Unions and PI as we ALL continue in altogether different and increasingly divergent ways to try to make sense of TR. Also to ALL those staff We have and continue to lose along the way. Iangould5

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