Opportunity Knocks For PSOs

What with all the covid stuff and lockdown, I must admit I don't remember this being initiated, but the MoJ have just published an evaluation report on the 'Probation services officer progression pilot' and it makes for interesting reading. I particularly note that 79% of the applicants were female; 43% were aged 40 and above and 44% had 6 or more years experience, but folks, there's lots more fascinating insights to be garnered from reading the whole thing.    

1. Executive summary 

This report presents findings from a process evaluation of Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) Probation Services Officer (PSO) Progression Pilot. The pilot tested an accelerated 13-month work-based training pathway for existing PSOs. It was open to PSOs in the National Probation Service and Community Rehabilitation Companies. The pilot ran from January 2021 to March 2022 across four probation areas, forming two pilot regions. It was available to 50 eligible PSOs who had offender manager experience. PSOs both with, and without, an existing Level 5 (foundation degree or equivalent) qualification (referred to as ‘graduates’ and ‘non-graduates’, respectively) were eligible. Learners were required to undertake specific Level 5 and Level 6 academic modules, delivered by two higher education institutions. This was completed alongside the Vocational Diploma in Probation Practice Level 5. Those who successfully completed all elements were awarded the Professional Qualification in Probation (PQiP) and were eligible to apply for probation officer posts. 

Before the creation of this new pathway, the only way to obtain the PQiP was through a 15 or 21-month training programme, depending on the amount of recognised prior learning held by the learner. This route is known as the ‘PQiP programme’ and is only open to applicants with a Level 5 qualification (‘graduates’). 

The process evaluation aimed to understand learner and probation stakeholder experiences of the pilot and capture any lessons learnt. 

1.1 Approach and interpreting findings 

A mixed methodology was used, combining qualitative and quantitative data collected between January 2021 and April 2022 from probation stakeholders. Probation stakeholders are defined in this study as senior probation officers, practice tutor assessors and probation learning managers. The report describes applicant and learner characteristics, and academic grades achieved by learners. Findings are also presented from applicant, learner, and probation stakeholder surveys, focus groups, and interviews. 

It is worth noting that the COVID-19 pandemic and related probation regimes affected pilot delivery, and consequently the experiences of learners and stakeholders. The pilot was also relatively small (50 places). Overall, a degree of care should be taken when interpreting findings as they may not be generalisable to other cohorts or contexts. For example, the selection process may differ for future cohorts, and there may be differences in the method of module delivery, workloads, and training provision across time or regions. 

1.2 Key findings 

Selection Process 

• Applicants reported general satisfaction with the selection process, acknowledging the opportunity for non-graduates and transparency of the process. However, respondents frequently commented on the lack of feedback on their applications. 

Pilot outcomes 

• There were 122 applications for 50 pilot places. Available data highlighted that almost half of the cohort did not hold a Level 5 qualification when they applied for the pilot (45%, n=55)1 or started the pilot (48%, n=24). The average (median) age of applicants, where known, was 38 years, with a range of 22 to 65. 

• Of the 50 learners who were offered a place on the pilot, 41 (82%) were known to have completed the programme.2 This includes 23 of the 26 who held a Level 5 qualification at the start of the pilot, and 18 of the 24 who did not. 

• Graduate and non-graduate learners achieved similar grades on average across the Level 5 and Level 6 academic modules of the progression pathway. 

What was perceived to work well? 

• Overall experience – most respondents to the learner surveys reported that they were satisfied with their overall experience of the pilot. The majority of respondents to the stakeholder survey said they had a positive experience of managing or assessing learners. Probation stakeholders were highly impressed with the capabilities of the pilot cohort, praising them for their dedication, motivation and perseverance through difficult times. 

• Academic component – most learners said they felt prepared for the Level 5 and Level 6 assessments. The quality of teaching and support from one of the higher education institutions was commended in particular; it was suggested that some tutors went above and beyond what was expected. 

• Vocational Diploma in Probation Practice Level 5 (VQ5) – experiences of the VQ5 were broadly positive, with several learners stating their previous experience as a PSO made it easier to meet the qualification requirements. Some learners identified receiving constructive feedback on their practice as the most useful aspect of the pilot. 

• Professional development – the majority of learners agreed that their caseload met their development needs, and most learners and stakeholders were confident that the pilot has prepared learners for the transition to qualified PO. Learners suggested that studying probation theory through the academic component of the pilot, and then applying that learning through the VQ5 and case management, helped to improve their practice. 

What was perceived to work less well? 

• Timescales – most learners and stakeholders expressed concerns about the compressed timescales of the pilot. There were challenges for learner wellbeing, particularly when learners were completing four or five Level 5 modules. A number of stakeholders also reported that they found the increased time pressure stressful. 

• Approach to module delivery – higher education institutions use varying degrees of distance learning during business as usual, however, some components which were previously face-to-face, were moved online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some learners in one of the pilot’s regions reported they were dissatisfied with the self-taught nature of the academic programme and perceived there to be a lack of support from tutors. 

• Workloads and caseloads – there were mixed views reported on the efficacy of learners co-working high risk or complex cases with an experience probation officer and reported challenges with redistributing learners’ PSO caseloads. Some learners felt their caseloads were too high or lacked development opportunities. 

• Training – overall it was felt that some of the training the learners were placed on as part of the pilot was unnecessary for experienced PSOs, and there were reported issues with the timing of the training events. 

• Preparation for progression – some learners identified specific gaps in their probation knowledge and skills following programme completion, and a small number expressed concern about moving into a PO role with these perceived gaps. 

1.3 Conclusion and Next steps 

Learners and stakeholders reported that the pilot offered a much-needed career progression opportunity for experienced and capable PSOs. Learners enjoyed furthering their professional development through academic study and exposure to more complex cases. Stakeholders expressed how rewarding they found it to manage and assess experienced learners. Both learners and stakeholders emphasised perceived issues with the shortened timescales. Completing the Level 5 modules in the timescales provided was highlighted as especially difficult for non-graduate learners and for those who had not studied academically for a long time. However, non-graduate learners achieved similar grades to those with a previous Level 5 qualification indicating that the pathway was successful in increasing accessibility for internal staff and non-graduates. 

Recommendations for how the design and delivery of the pilot could be improved are outlined at the end of this report. 

HMPPS have reflected on the findings from this evaluation and have subsequently developed a second iteration of the PSO progression pathway. This new route, which commenced in March 2022, was open to both graduate and non-graduate PSOs with and without offender manager experience across all probation regions. The timeline for the pathway was also extended from 13 months to 15 months.