Friday 12 May 2017

Napo Speaks Out

Taking a leaf out of the barristers book, I see Napo have chipped in with their pitch to prospective candidates. I'm going to say nothing:- 

Napo Manifesto Demands General Election 2017 

Napo – Trade Union and Professional Association for Probation and Family Court Staff. 
Napo is an independent non-affiliated trade union. 

It has been well documented that the justice system is in meltdown. 50% of the probation service was privatised in 2015 leading to ongoing failures by private providers and excessive job cuts. The family courts are now also at breaking point as workloads have become dangerously high and prisons are in chaos. This document sets out Napo’s demands for the 2017 election and what we want to see the new government take action on to save our justice system and its staff. 

End the public sector pay freeze 
Probation staff have suffered a six year pay freeze. An increase in public sector pay would also put pressure on private providers to review pay in order to keep them competitive.

Extend Youth Justice Boards to cover 18-21 year olds 
Youth Justice Boards have proven to be very successful at reducing reoffending rates. Extending them to work with this cohort of offenders would enable a smooth transition to probation, reduce reoffending and reduce the number going into custody. 

Full independent inquiry into Community Rehabilitation Companies 
The inquiry should review the contracts, performance and cost of private probation providers. Those shown to be failing should be brought back under public ownership using the power of the Golden Share. Accountability for service standards and local commissioning should be delegated to democratically accountable bodies, regulated and inspected by a national HMI Probation. There should be widespread consultation about the form this should take, with potential for pilots for Police and Crime Commissioners and Regional Mayors (e.g. in London where MOPAC are involved already in monitoring the CRC contract following the HMIP's report in December 2016). 

Promote Probation 
Half of the £1.3 million ear marked for building new prisons should be invested in probation. There needs to be increased dialogue between sentencers and all probation providers to help rebuild trust and confidence. Current government policy is very prison focused. We want to see a policy that sees prison as the last resort and focuses much more on community interventions. 

Reverse cuts to legal aid 
Specifically review the qualification thresholds for qualifying to improve the quality of justice and reduce the strain on professionals, especially in Family Courts. 

Increased funding for the Family Court Service 
The huge increases in cases particularly arising from greater focus upon child protection nationally is having a detrimental impact on service delivery. Cafcass is now at breaking point with many members working increasingly long hours to complete work. Review sentencing guidelines Prison sentences have gone up 27% despite a fall of 25% in sentences for serious crime. We need to develop a strong presumption against imposing short prison sentences. Increase problem solving courts to help reduce prison sentences being passed. 

Prison Reform 
A commitment to reduce prison population as reform cannot happen while prisons are overcrowded. Prison & Courts Bill does not go far enough. This should be reviewed with a greater involvement of prison and probation staff. Napo believes that there has not been enough thought or consultation into the proposal to increase the number of probation staff in prisons or the impact this will have on community resources or staff. 

Introduce a Licence to Practice for probation staff 
This is already under consideration in the MOJ and would provide protection for all staff and keep providers focused on training staff to the right level for the job they do. 

Workload crisis 
Workloads in both probation and family court are dangerously high. In probation this is exacerbated by staff shortages, ongoing job cuts and poor recruitment and retention. Probation staff in both the NPS and the privatised CRCs face enormous and increasing workload pressures with some staff carrying workloads of over twice the accepted safe level (i.e. ranges from 150% - 210% on the workload management tool measure) and many reporting caseloads of 80-90 clients. One member in a CRC told Napo, “I am constantly anxious and terrified that I'll miss something critical because I haven't seen someone or completed some task.” While another member working in the NPS told the union they had “..no time to do any offence focused work and are constantly firefighting.” 

In CAFCASS the workload has significantly increased causing stress and poor health to our members. It has a direct impact on the quality of work delivered and places the public at risk of harm.

--oo00oo--

I'll tag on edited highlights from Ian Lawrence's latest blog post:-

Napo's asks for this General Election

As we always have to make clear when approaching the mainstream political parties at General Elections, Napo is an independent Trade Union and Professional Association whose constitution prevents us aligning ourselves with any political party.

That said, we are entitled to ask important questions of those who seek to govern us and thats why we have finalised our 'Manifesto Asks' this week. This has gone across to the various political strategists in the hope that their responses will help our members to decide which party will do most to address the issues that matter.

As we say in our opening statemets, it has been well documented that the justice system is in meltdown with huge problems across its component parts. In probation we have the ongoing failure of the so-called rehabilitation revolution with many private providers in serious operational and financial difficulties, due to a combination of dodgy contracts and unsafe operating models and incompetent profiling of staffing needs. In the Family Court Service many of our members are at breaking point as workloads have become dangerously high. Prisons are in chaos (when have they not been) with levels of violence and self-harm seemingly beyond control and where, no matter how much money is thrown at the problem, staff are leaving in droves.

The full document can be seen here and we will publish any responses we receive.


PCCs have eyes on CRCs

As suggested in the manifesto demands, the notion that failing CRCs might be brought under the control of Police and Crime Commissioners or the increasing number of Metropolitan Mayors especially London is no longer a just fanciful concept.

Its clear from the intel reaching me that overtures are being made by a number of PCCs to explore if they might offer an escape route to CRC owners who may be at the end of their commercial tether or looking to find an honorable escape route.

There is nothing more substantial than that to report at the moment, but it introduces a new dynamic to the post-TR landscape which the new Secretary of State post-June the 8th would be wise to look at seriously.
Workload pressures and their impact are a huge issue for all members

I have just returned from a visit to Napo PBNI members in Belfast where Ranjit Singh and I also had a series of meetings with our sister union NIPSA, the Board's Chief Executive Cheryl Lamont and her senior management team Gillian Robinson and Paul Doran.

It was a pleasure and privilege to be able to spend valuable time discussing our members concerns and to explain our approach to the many problems that they face. These are not being helped by the current political uncertainties following the collapse of the Assembly and the parlous financial position which is in turn creating inertia in important decisions about paying up on the incremental progression that is a contractual entitlement for our members.

We will do all we can to find common cause with senior PBNI management to address this, and a joint approach will also be needed in finding a strategy to the alarming sickness absence figures that have just been reported across the workforce.

This will need sensitive and careful handling and some joint reserach into the underlying causes. The initial response from Cheryl and her team to our suggestion here has been very encouraging.

When enough is enough

As you will all know there have been a series of problems with the Shared Service division in terms of pay and pensions over a long period. One of the latest has been the diabolical mistreatment of PSO starters who have gone weeks without any sign of a salary payment.

Here's a typical example from one of our newest members as to what has been going on:

I started as a PSO in March and have still not received any pay. I have been contacting the recruitment services every day to find out when I will be paid but no one seems to know. At first there were delays with my security vetting but I've had all of this confirmed now and they keep saying I "should have received a call" but no one has been in contact. I received my offer of appointment contract and new starter form in April and returned this first thing in the morning. I am being told daily by SSCL that someone will "chase it up" and contact me within the day with an update but, again, I have received no contact so I am continuing to call daily to be told again that they will chase it up. I am going into my 8th week here and I do not have any money in my account - at the moment I am having to loan money from family members to get to work and pay for food and bills. I am not sure how much longer I am going to be able to do this for and I feel like I am not getting anywhere. I have tried escalating this repeatedly but with no result.

In Gravesend the other week we saw a remarkable show of solidarity for another member in similar circumstances when colleagues (including non-members I understand) spontaneously walked off the premises at lunchtime in abject disgust. I totally get where they were coming from and following this it was a relief to hear that the pay problem was resolved.

53 comments:

  1. Wtf do they think they're playing at?

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  2. Napo speaks out I wish our London chair Raho would speak out. His silence is deafening.

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    1. Well that is because last week he was looking for information on the sell out of who does what PSO PO case managers so much for local negotiating its over.

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    2. I like David Raho he is nice enough, but he lacks oomph. I fear Napo locally and nationally are being eaten alive.

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    3. If I was David Raho reading this blog I'd have walked away in disgust months ago and left you all to sort yourselves out.

      He performs a thankless task day in day out with professionalism that puts others to shame and does the day job. Being a Chair of Napo in London is in any case career suicide (look at the previous incumbents).

      Apparently all his friends tell him to quit probation and get a job as a university lecturer as that is what he would have been doing if he hadn't put his own career to one side and stepped up to become a safety rep and then dedicate himself to the front line for the last seven years. Let's hope he keeps going or we would be totally stuffed in London without his firm leadership.

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  3. "Extend Youth Justice Boards to cover 18-21 year olds".

    WTF! So our own probation union wants to remove a large part of our caseload and give it to the YOT's and social workers. This will lead to job cuts in probation. This is the same YOT's and social workers that don't accept probation officers without social work degrees into their profession (except as a secondment or less pay).

    Looking a bit closer this crap from Napo seems to plagiarise the crap Rob Allen wrote recently!!

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    1. Over reaction. That age group have different needs and including them in the adult system has always felt uncomfortable to me so increasing the remit on YOT, harnessing their localism and social service links makes sense. This would be implemented by increasing the use of qualified POs in YOTs so is no threat to us.

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    2. Nonsense, this is a huge threat and totally unnecessary, simply making us more so second fiddle to social workers doing the same job. Probation have supervised this age group for many years and have the skills to do so, many probation officers are good with this age group. Rather than take the work away, it's easier to develop the skills, training and links of probation staff in this area who are already doing the work

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    3. @Anon 20:18
      Your insecurities are showing. No ones talking about taking the work away, we already work really well in YOTs which in many respects are more closely aligned to what Probation actually should be. Work in YOT is allocated to the right skill set, I never got the 12yr olds and if the remit was extended I'm sure the social workers wouldn't get the 20yr olds.
      There's no will to create, within the adult system, a different approach for young adults so keeping the status quo won't see the development you mention. The adult prison is rightly cautious about prisoners in their early 20's joining the adult estate, we should have the same consideration in our provision such as CP and programmes.

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    4. There is no evidence that the YOT is better with 18-21 year olds. This is a call from the YJB seeking to increase their scope, access funding for working with gangs, etc, nothing to do with levels of support. First it will be 18-21, then 18-25 to match what some prisons are now doing. Probation officers are adequately suited to working with 18-21 year olds in the probation setting. I've worked in the YOT and probation so take it from someone who knows.

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    5. Anon 20:42 so the YOT takes the 18-21 years olds and then takes more seconded Probation Officers so they're "allocated to the right skill set". Hmm, sounds simpler to leave the 18-21's in probation where the skill set already is. Go figure, it's all about funding don't you know.

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    6. Exactly that anon 21:10. The YOT takes the younger offenders and IOM schemes off probation, the PCC's and private companies take the low-medium risk, programmes and community service, the high risk get managed by the prisons up until release .... Probation Service no longer required so give what's left to PCC's and the private companies too and I bet they won't be employing probation officers to do the work!

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    7. @Anon 21:10
      It's inane to point at the absence of evidence of the YOT with that age group but it's plain the adult CJS doesn't meet that groups needs or even acknowledge that a 20 yr old is qualitatively different to a 45 yr old. I'd agree that young adults should be defined as those upto 25 not least on the grounds of neurological development. That proposed change harks back to what once was. It is one to embrace and could, if managed properly, see probation return to what it does best. Clearly my experience of being a PO seconded to YOT, and of youth work 15 yrs ago before joining probation, leads me to a very different opinion to yours.

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    8. 21:17 if there's no evidence for it then your few years experience isn't cutting it for me. No sir, and the skill of probation is in fact in working with a diversity of groups, men, women, youths, etc.

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  4. This reads as if Napo is being paid off by the Police and Crime Commissioners, MOPAC and the Probation Institute. Funnily enough I'm sure the London Mayor was also calling for 18-21 yr olds to be passed to the Youth Justice Board. Benefits for all except probation and probation staff.

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  5. I disagree with the idea that Probation Officers are generally equipped to work with 18 - 21 year olds. They could be, without a doubt. However, unless we are going to adequately train and equip POs and others to work with diversity of human condition then the same could apply to any number of groupings. Hence why role requires high level of ability to work eclectically. This ain't no factory!

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    1. Probation officers are equipped to work with a range of people including 18-21 year olds. We have done years and do it well. Who do you think works with 16 and 17 year olds in the Youth offending services?, its probation officers on secondments

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    2. But when we take those YOT secondments we adjust the the language, frameworks, legislation and partnerships more suited to the client group. It takes time and definitely isn't right for very many POs. Many POs can't stand working with the 18-21s.

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    3. But many do like this client group. Many PO's are young and so work well with young people. Same goes for older po's who are parents, etc. I could go on. No evidence that 18-21's are better in the YOT's.

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    4. Anon 21:54 "But when we take those YOT secondments we adjust the the language". Ha ha, I bet you're one of those suit wearing probation officers with an enforcement guideline up your backside. Don't think we're all like that mate, we get on okay with the youths where I'm based. Don't be too shocked, but we even wear jeans and trainers to work and use words like "bruv".

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    5. Anon 22:08 I'm talking about the language of YOT, it's legislation, processes and how different they are from those of probation. My time at YOT involved transferring existing knowledge and tools to ASSET, YOIS, AIM, ISSP and referral orders alongside hundreds of other acronyms. You don't get far in a YOT if you only speak Probation.


      What the hell happened to the quality of discussion on his blog?

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    6. Mate, learning a few new acronyms doesn't make you clever or better at managing an 18-21 year old.

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    7. 'Don't be too shocked, but we even wear jeans and trainers to work and use words like "bruv"' Jesus. You're so 'down with the kids' in your Jeremy Clarkson outfit. Do they laugh when you say 'Bruv' or just look mortified?

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    8. Never worked in an inner city probation or YOT I take it? And that's Mr Clarkson btw!

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    9. Inner-city! Gosh how *edgy*! You're just so 'street'

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    10. That's a no then !

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    11. We practically all work in 'inner city' probation offices you sad twat. It's entirely average and unremarkable.

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    12. No 'we' don't. And wow you trolled and posted insults at 01:32.

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  6. It's a shame to think Probation people may be here commenting that Probation Officers can't work with 18-21 year olds. A kick in the teeth to all my probation officer friends I see doing a great job with youths on a daily basis. For those that think the Youth service is such an effective place for youths verging on adulthood I can tell you it is not.

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    1. Except no one's saying we can't work with that age group.

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    2. Can or can't, you WONT when the YOT's take the 18-21's and those lucrative IOM's schemes and gangs / youth violence interventions. There's a reason they're so interested in this age group all of a sudden and supporting the youths is secondary.

      Maybe schools will start running university degree programmes soon too because some idiot will suggest school teachers are better at teaching 18-21 year olds!

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  7. In my experience many 18-21 year olds on probation feel they previously did not get on well at all in the YOT / youth service. Some got on well and prefer the YOT but I wouldn't say all 18-21 years would be better supported /supervised by the YOT or that YOT social workers and seconded PO's do a better job. Most seconded po's I know have gone to the YOT to have an easy life and low caseload for a few years. I've met quite a few YOT social workers somewhere between living on another planet and being well past their sell by date. Silly debate really, and surprised at Napo taking this stance over better resourcing and training for probation.

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  8. https://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-c4ae-POA-Sodexo-boss-admits-prison-bidding-fails#.WRYut8vTXqA

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  9. I cannot understand all this discussion on whether Probation (and Probation Officers) are appropriate for 18-21 year olds. Until 1997, in Nbria, we supervised people from 14 upwards. My caseload consisted of about 34 older clients with a range of convictions, and 18 young people(the whole office count of under 18's because I had a lengthy history of youth work), many still at school, when I bundled up my files for transfer to YOT (Sunderland had been selected as one of 6 studies before it went national in 1998) I always felt uncomfortable seeing young 'children' in the waiting area alongside a variety of people often with more serious convictions, and the work was often more intense and time consuming as it involved the parents and home circumstances too. Offences ranged from fighting in the schoolyard to arson and sex offences.

    18-21 year olds are often vulnerable and immature and I can see no problem in them being supervised by YOS. And PO's quickly adapt. From the beginning YOT/YOS staff were from the Juvenile Justice Service, with a quota of PO's on secondment. Even now, PO's are still occasionally accepted on secondment.

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    1. I tend to agree ML. I enjoy working with my younger age group and have worked for YOT on two previous occasions. My recent experience has been that YOT are quick to pass them overvas soon as they reach 18 but in my view they would be better off staying and perhaps having a staged transition
      .some 18 year olds i work with are functioning at a much younger age and I often feel that I am.letting them.down because I don't have the time to give them the additional support they need.I imagine when probation inspections take place that this is noted and hence the push to extend age range with YOT.

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    2. I agree 1946. In more recent years, before retirement, 18 year olds with a new Order, would often report confused, expecting similar work to what they were used to in YOS. They would initially refuse to co-operate and say they wanted to go back to YOS, but then would come round when they accepted they were in a whole new world!

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    3. A different experience for me. I work with many youths and most hated the YOT and prefer probation. Many others do not care either way. We have good community links and access many resources similar to the YOT. Would be sad to see this work taken away from probation.

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  10. Typo? Or do napo really think the new-build prisons budget is £1.3million? Reminiscent of another recent financial mis-spoke?

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  11. Please please please please please let this unprecedented international cyber attack hit Delius and Oasys

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  12. Hahah 17:03 you read my thoughts !!!

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  13. I think the transition from one service to another needs to be looked at and improved. In my experience it has nit been well managed and this is not good for young people.

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  14. I disagree we cannot work with 18 - 21 yr olds. Whilst not working with that age group directly, I have had several success stories with those in prison who went through YOT and have nothing but praise for their 'Probation Officer' whilst in YOT. I have seen some troubled young men really turn their lives around and not returned to custody

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  15. Probation provides a good service to 18-21 year olds. I'm a probation officer and I've supervised many 18-21 offenders, some that have transferred over from the YOT's and many that haven't. I've seen many turn their lives around too and very few have come back.

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  16. 18-21's are adults and on probation they're treated like adults. Only a small amount of those I deal with have been involved with YOT's. It'd be regressive in taking this group and transferring them to YOT's to be treated like children. There is a reason why YOT's are suited to school kids and YOI's have specific wings for under 18's. They can't be allowed to just raise the age of adulthood from 18 to 21 years because probation bosses want reduced caseload and YOT bosses want to increase revenue.

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  17. We should do what is best for these young adults and that means looking into the situation properly and not knee jerk reaction!

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    1. Well that rules out Napo's suggestion as the GS and those at the top have no idea what probation officers do!

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    2. No they clearly don't.

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  18. As long as staff have 60/70/80/90 + cases to manage it won't matter if 18-21 year olds are being seen by YOS or by Probation as they'll be lucky if their appointed officer remembers their name, let alone has any idea who they are, what they've done and what kind of help they might need to make sure they don't end up doing it again

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    1. I remember everyone's name, no matter how high the caseload.

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    2. I agree with Anon 23:37-with cases changing on a daily basis, new cases allocated and multiple cases handed to you from staff that are off sick or suspended its very difficult to remember everyone no matter how hard you try. Anon 00:21 you are fortunate to have a good memory.

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  19. If we're hit with a Ransomware cyber-attack Napo will need to add a demand for decent pencils and notebooks! At last, something Napo could actually achieve!

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  20. Napo agree that arms aseessments can be completed in two hrs for licence cases. Good luck colleagues with that. Thanks for fighting napo.

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    1. I still don't understand why we're doing the work of and for the police!

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