Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 19
19
Accepted
Poor quality probation referrals severely hinder effectiveness of CRS resettlement support for prison leavers.
Recommendation
HMPPS audited 28 of its highest-value CRS contracts between June and September 2022, which identified ineffective early performance against service standards and contractual requirements. HMPPS rated the quality of the Probation Service’s referrals to CRS providers as ‘amber/red’ or ‘red’ in 25 contracts (89%), with problems including a lack of clarity on the reasons for referrals, missing information on individuals’ risks, and gaps in information on individuals’ personal circumstances.43 In its written submission to us, St Mungo’s told us that chasing up poor quality referrals created additional unplanned workloads for providers and left them with “unrealistically short timeframes” to support prison leavers.44 HMPPS also rated the sufficiency of CRS providers’ delivery to address 36 C&AG’s Report, para 1.3 37 Q15 38 C&AG’s Report, para 1.4 39 Qq 49–55 40 IPL0006 41 C&AG’s Report, para 13, 1.27 42 IPL0002 43 C&AG’s Report, para 1.28 44 IPL0002 Resettlement support for prison leavers 13 offenders’ needs as ‘amber/red’ or ‘red’ in 19 contracts (68%) and the quality of CRS providers’ communication with probation staff as ‘amber/red’ or ‘red’ in 13 contracts (46%). However, HMPPS found a more positive picture across the CRS contracts for women’s services, where services took account of women’s specific needs and were supported by clear records of activity and progress.45 45 C&AG’s Report, paras 1.28–1.29 14 Resettlement support for prison leavers 2 A challenging future for resettlement services Getting the best outcomes
Government Response Summary
The government accepted the recommendation, stating it is implemented and HMPPS has already enhanced its digital referral tool and made contract changes. HMPPS is also reviewing its approach to outcomes, committed to gathering better evidence, and assessing options for improved data collection.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
4.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 4.2 HMPPS is reviewing its approach to ensuring good quality outcomes for prison leavers and people on probation are both achieved and evidenced. 4.3 HMPPS has taken a number of actions to improve achievement of outcomes. These include; • significant enhancements to the digital referral tool; • working with providers to improve services; and • making contract changes to increase accommodation and women’s services support to include remanded people in custody and increased finance, benefit and debt provision in more prisons. 4.4 HMPPS has evidence of successful improvements from a recent internal audit of Commissioned Rehabilitative Services (CRS). The audit reports for Personal and Wellbeing and Education, Training and Employment contracts show that most CRS providers are: • better at delivering activities that are likely to meet user’s needs; • making reasonable efforts to engage users; • making positive progress to support successful outcomes; • finding that session attendance and content delivery are better supported by the improved staff guidance and digital referral tool updates; and • finding that improvements in the Accommodation Contracts have been slower and are therefore yet to meet all of the required standards. 4.5 HMPPS is committed to gathering, analysing and using better evidence on outcomes in the future, and is assessing the options available to improve data on outcomes including a tool to measure progress from the start of the order to completion. The Area Executive Directors (AEDs) will consider which models are best for their region, working with frontline teams to develop more locally tailored services. AED is a senior, operational delivery role, that brings together leadership of both prison and probation services. They are responsible for driving up operational performance and increasing collaboration across HMPPS and with partners.