Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 16
16
Paragraph: 86
No system can function fully from Day 1, but it is vital that probation service...
Recommendation
No system can function fully from Day 1, but it is vital that probation service provision be as effective as possible. We acknowledge the fears of organisations such as NACRO about implementation of the Dynamic Framework, but equally note the confidence of the then Minister of Justice that services will be appropriately provided from the first day. We note the disappointment of those who may be affected by a shift from local to regional provision but appreciate why that was necessary at a time of pandemic. It is to be hoped that the ambition of including more third sector and smaller organisations with valuable specialist skills will be fully achieved in the longer term. Even given the difficulties that have arisen in its delivery, the Dynamic Framework appears overall to offer a more localised approach to service provision than was previously available. We recommend that the Ministry of Justice publish a commitment to ensure that procurement beyond Day 1 will take place at a more local than regional level wherever appropriate and where suitable services exist, to The future of the Probation Service 47 ensure that the services procured meet specific local needs. We also recommend that the Ministry of Justice also keep and publish records of procurement at regional/local levels and the volume of work awarded to smaller providers.
Paragraph Reference:
86
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
Agreed We agree that where cases require ongoing risk management work as part of the delivery of the requirements, they are subject to, a caseload of no more than 50 is reasonable. For Probation Officers, the national average number of cases per full time equivalent stood at 32.5 on 21 April 2021, with 2 per cent of Probation Officers with caseloads in excess of 50. There are cases, such as those where the only element is Unpaid Work, where the requirements of case management are limited, and the activity is more focussed on engagement and enforcement to ensure attendance and completion. For these cases a specific caseload is less indicative of a volume of work. Currently some Probation Service Officers in CRCs holding low risk standalone UPW cases will have caseloads over 50. The case complexity is therefore a key focus for our organisation to understand in respect of resource with resource following risk and need. In May 2021, we implemented a new Unified Tiering Model (UTM) into our current Workload Management Tool (WMT). This provides management with oversight of the work involved in cases resulting from case complexity, which we suggest is more accurate than a fixed value. The UTM is more generous in its provision for timings and therefore caseloads managed at the correct level through the WMT should reduce further. The WMT is currently being redesigned with a new version due to be deployed in December 2021. This will have additional functionality to support the active management of work in teams and increasing the management oversight of work pressures.