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London Needs You
London needs you
Would you like to gain experience and develop new skills and contacts by working with us in London? We are urgently seeking PO and PSO qualified volunteers to work at the Hammersmith, Fulham, Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster (HFKCW) Probation PDU for 4, 8 or 12 weeks, to provide temporary relief due to staff shortages.
It’s known as ‘Detached Duty’ (further information is available on My Hub). In addition to your existing pay, you will receive a special bonus payment of £2,000 for 12 weeks, £1,200 for 8 weeks, and £500 for 4 weeks of continuous detached duty. London Probation is happy to support the principles set out in the Smarter Working Policy during a detached duty placement – to receive the full Detached Duty payment for their placement, volunteers will need can work a minimum ratio of 60:40 [London: Home location] of their usual hours. Pro-rata amounts will be paid for part time staff and travel time and expenses will also be provided.
You must be an experienced Probation Officer or Probation Services Officer, trained in the use of OASys and n-Delius computer systems. The scheme is not open to PQiPs or agency staff.
Find out more
Further information about working at the HFKCW PDU, along with volunteer form is available from the downloads box on the right. Or to register your interest and find out more please email NPSLondonDirector@justice.gov.uk.
Why you should join us in London – an insight from Scott, a PO from the North West region
Scott undertook detached duty at the HFKCW PDU, between November 2021 and March 2022.
Why did you decide to volunteer for detached duty?
I have been a probation officer for 21 years, mainly in Preston in Lancashire. I saw this as a fantastic opportunity to do something rather unique, that would take me out of my comfort zone. I also have fond memories of visiting London, and the chance to work (and to some extent, live) there was too good to miss.
How did you benefit from the experience?
It provided me with an opportunity to really challenge myself, working with very different types of People on Probation. The pace was also very different, but I was able to prove to myself that I could adapt quickly to a different way of working, which has increased my confidence in my own skills and decision making. I also got to see first-hand what the challenges are for probation staff working in London.
Why would you encourage others to volunteer?
It was a brilliant experience, a real eye-opener. No matter what your level of experience in the probation service, working in London will undoubtedly increase your skill set. Also, a word about the staff at HFKCW; without question, they are its biggest asset. They are incredibly supportive, friendly, and hard-working, and I have been lucky enough to make some good friends.
What did you particularly enjoy about London?
All of it. Sometimes, London sometimes gets a bad press up north, but I love it – it’s busy, vibrant, and contrary to some reports, it’s a friendly place. And you can eat and drink out at a reasonable price if you know where to go. If I was offered the opportunity to return, I wouldn’t hesitate.
Probation Service pay ballots CLOSED ON 23 SEPTEMBER
Probation Service pay ballots CLOSED ON 23 SEPTEMBER
Today, the ballots for the Probation Service multi-year pay offer will open for members of the three Probation Service trade unions to vote on our 3 year pay offer. The ballots will run from September 1st until September 23rd. The offer is available to review on the HMPPS Intranet Probation Pay page. On that page you will find a comprehensive set of information about the offer including illustrations of your potential pay journeys over the three years, general FAQs and a helpful pay calculator so you can see what the offer will mean for you over the duration of the deal. The offer will mean something different for each member of staff, so it is important you use the tools and resources made available.
Attend a pay event to learn more about what it means for you
Additionally, to help you better understand what the proposals mean for you, we are also running engagement sessions for staff which you should hopefully already have in your diaries. We are holding three MS Teams live events for any member of Probation Service staff to attend. Please note that the three all-staff live events will repeat the same content so if you have attended one, the following sessions will be the same.
There will also be daily Re-cap/Q&A sessions comprising an update and then an opportunity for you to ask questions. Given the potential attendance numbers for staff in Bands 1-6, we are scheduling these daily recap sessions by region and they are open to all staff, regardless of specialism. Don’t worry if you can’t attend the session scheduled for your region. They are flexible and you can join any session.
Re-cap/Q&A sessions are also in place for staff in pay bands A-D.
Pay Events
Probation Pay Offer- Staff Support Live Events
12 September 10.00 – 10.25
Recap/Q&A sessions for staff in Bands 1-6
6 September 10.00-10.45 – YaTH
8 September 12.00-12.45 – East Midlands & West Midlands
9 September 10.00-10.45 – North West & Greater Manchester
13 September 10.00-10.45 – Wales
16 September 10.00-10.45 – London
20 September 10.00-10.45 – North East & East of England
21 September 10.00-10.45 – South West & South Central
22 September 10.00-10.45 – Other PS Business Areas & KSS
Recap/Q&A sessions for staff Bands A-D
7 September 10.00-10.45
14 September 10.00-10.45
All Staff Probation Pay Offer Re-cap Session – all grades/regions – 14 September 4.00-4.30pm
For questions about the ballot process, please contact your trade union representative.
If you have any immediate questions which you can’t find an answer to, please either contact your TU representative or the probation pay functional mailbox at: PSpayreform-enquiries@justice.gov.uk
Smarter working toolkit launched
Smarter working toolkit launched
Sonia Flynn
Today, 5 September, sees the launch of our revised Smarter Working Toolkit.
We’ve revised the toolkit using the lessons we’ve learned from the pandemic and period of recovery to make better use of our estates and technology, as well as clarifying the ways we can work together.
For full details see Sonia Flynn’s smarter working blog on the intranet.
zARCHIVED: Update on Harmonisation ballot dates – August 2022
Update on Harmonisation ballot dates – August 2022
Following the conclusion of negotiations on proposals to align the terms and conditions of former Parent Organisation and Supply Chain colleagues to those of the Probation Service, we are pleased to confirm that trade unions have confirmed the dates for ballot.
The ballot will open on 30 August and end midday on 20 September.
We know it has taken longer than anticipated to get to this point and that the wait has been frustrating; thank you again for your patience.
Your trade union will be in touch with further details of the ballot process and they will also share full details of the final proposals once the ballot has opened. Any questions about this should be directed to your TU representative.
We want to help ensure you have the information you need to understand the proposals and what they mean for you.
Full details of the proposals will be made available on the Probation Hub once the ballot opens, along with FAQs.
We will also be running engagement sessions for impacted colleagues and line managers to take you through the proposals on the following dates:
31 August, 12-1pm – line managers of impacted staff
2 Sept, 10-11am – all staff impacted by harmonisation
7 Sept, 12-1pm – all staff impacted by harmonisation
7 Sept, 4-5pm – former CRC staff awaiting alignment of terms
8 Sept, 3-4pm – all staff impacted by harmonisation
Thank you.
Amy’s message 19th August
Amy Rees – Director General Probation, Wales and Youth
Update message to staff – Friday 19 August
This weekend sees our second annual Probation Day take place on the 21 August, giving us an opportunity for us to celebrate and tell others about the important work you do every single day across the Probation Service. I hope you were able to join our launch event this morning and are taking part in one of the many events happening across teams and regions over the next few days.
As part of the lead up to Probation Day, I really enjoyed visiting our Newport office in South Wales yesterday and spending some time with one of our trainee probation officers Karen Olding-Sims. It was really insightful to hear first hand from Karen about
her experience of training with us and I am so pleased we were able to recruit over 1500 trainee officers like Karen last year as they will be integral to growing and shaping our future Probation Service and continuing to deliver our vital work. Thank you to Karen and the team in Wales for the warm welcome I received.
I also want to highlight how grateful I am to everyone who is playing a role in supporting our trainees across teams and know how much this is also valued by them too from speaking to Karen – thank you all.
We are continuing to recruit many more PQIP learners this year so if you or any of your family or friends are interested in applying for one of these important roles please do look at the vacancies here at Justice Jobs.
A big well done to two colleagues from the South West region, Bryony King and Angela Auty who recently received “Highly Commended” certificates from the Confederation of European Probation for their public protection work. Bryony and Angela were both nominated for awards by their Regional Probation Director Angela Cossins, the awards panel highly commended them both so congratulations Bryony and Angela – flying the flag for the Probation Service across Europe!
Looking to the future, many of you will have read Jim’s article on One HMPPS setting out our very early thoughts about opportunities for closer regional working and improving the focus on the frontline. We spoke to senior leaders about this on Monday at our quarterly event with them and are keen for you to let us know what you think too so look out for events coming up in the autumn.
I am sure you will have also seen Jo Farrar’s message this week about changes to the senior leadership structure in HMPPS announced by the Permanent Secretary which Jo describes as our first step towards becoming One HMPPS through a more integrated leadership structure. You will be kept updated on this over the next few weeks but please be assured that everyone’s focus continues to be on front line delivery and ensuring there will be absolutely no disruption, as a result of these changes.
Thank you as ever for all you do and enjoy Probation Day – I am very proud of you all
Amy
Professional registration – join a webinar and get involved in the conversation
Join the next conversation today (wed 14 Sept) at 10am
Amy’s message 5th August
Amy Rees – Director General Probation, Wales and Youth
Update message to staff – Friday 5 August
It’s that time of the year when I hope you’ll be able to take
advantage of the better weather for a holiday or spending some well-earned time off with friends and family. Perhaps, like me, you’re enjoying the action from the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham or you cheered on the Lionesses to victory at Euro 2022.
Prior to going on leave I had privilege to open Box Tree Cottage, a new Independent Approved Premises in Bradford, while there, I saw a poster of a Banksy’s art work and it really struck a chord with me. The message was: ‘If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit.’
It reminded me that it’s so important we look after ourselves and each other. It’s important to take time out and recharge and reflect. It’s also a great opportunity for me to highlight the tremendous work you’re doing.
I’m delighted that Al Reid has been awarded an OBE for his services to probation and national security for England and Wales. Al, who retired last autumn, had a career spanning 36 years and worked in the London area and as Probation National Security Lead. He attended Buckingham Palace to receive his OBE from the Princess Royal. I have sent my congratulations to Al personally to thank him for his fantastic contribution to public protection.
Just before I began my leave, I met with Stuart Andrew MP, the new Minister of State for Prisons and Probation. He’s very keen to learn more about the work we are doing across the service and I was able to update him on the progress we have made. It’s encouraging to know that your hard work is being recognised.
Although it’s the holiday season there is still a lot going on and Probation Day 2022 is almost upon us. I hope you’ll be able to get involved in the activities taking place to mark this important event across our regions. There will be a national event taking place on Friday 19 August at 10am and please look out for local events being run across the regions. More details will be made available by staff engagement leads in the coming days. This is our second Probation Day so please be a part of it, it’s a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the great work you’re doing and the importance of the service we all provide.
Our new Protected Characteristics Plans have just been published on the intranet. These plans clearly set out the outcomes we want to achieve to improve equality within the probation service across several of the protected characteristics – LGBT+, Gender, Faith and Belief, Social Mobility, Disability, and Race. Each of my Executive team is a champion for one of the protected characteristics and have led on the development of these plans. I want to encourage you all to get involved as we welcome your feedback to help us deliver the right outcomes.
Many of you will have seen the latest harmonisation update on the proposals to align the terms and conditions of former Parent Organisation and Supply Chain colleagues to those of the Probation Service. I’m pleased that we are now able to move to the next stage of the process and encourage you to read the update if you have not done so already.
I’d also like to draw your attention to the additional recruitment campaign for trainee probation officers (PQiP) which runs throughout August (until the 29th). Positions are available in Kent, Surrey, and Sussex, East of England, South Central, South West, East Midlands, West Midlands and London.
You can read more about studying for your professional qualification in probation (PQiP) or go straight to the applications. I’d also encourage you to let your friends and family know about this opportunity to join the team.
Finally, staff are able to join one of several webinars taking place throughout August and September where you are invited to share your views on proposals on the internal professional register and standards.
Whether you’ve taken a break or you’re about to I hope it’s an enjoyable and relaxing one.
Amy
zARCHIVED: HMPPS Statement on Harmonisation – August 2022
HMPPS Statement on Harmonisation – August 2022
We are pleased to confirm that negotiations with the 3 recognised probation trade unions have concluded and a proposal has been finalised to align the terms and conditions of former Parent Organisation and Supply Chain colleagues to those of the Probation Service.
This is great news and reflects many months of hard work and commitment from everyone involved in the negotiations. Discussions have been complex but collectively we believe we have arrived at the best and fairest resolution for impacted colleagues.
We appreciate that this has taken longer than anticipated; the process of aligning the pay and different terms and conditions of staff from 30 separate organisations has not been without its challenges. Thank you for your patience during what has been a frustrating and uncertain time.
Members of the three trade unions will now be asked to accept or reject the agreement in a ballot.
Trade unions have been in contact via email with all members who they have listed as being eligible to vote. If you are a member and have not received the email, you should contact your trade union as soon as possible:
- NAPO: Katie Lomas klomas@napo.org.uk
- UNISON: policeandjusticeteam@unison.co.uk
- GMBScoop: Peter Brandt brandt@justice.gov.uk
We hope that the ballot will take place sometime in August subject to final adjustments to the harmonisation proposals. Trade unions will contact their members regarding next steps, including ballot dates and timescales. There will be an update on the Probation Hub outlining the key elements of the package shortly and engagement sessions will be run for impacted staff.
General enquiries about harmonisation can be directed to the functional mailbox: HandSTenquiries@justice.gov.uk. We also attach some FAQ for your information.
Thank you.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
When will you share the Proposed Agreement with staff?
Details of the agreement will be shared on the Probation Hub.
When will the ballot take place?
Trade unions are responsible for organising the ballot and will notify their members in due course. The timescales will also be uploaded on the Probation Hub.
What happens if all 3 trade unions don’t vote yes?
We will resume negotiations with the recognised trade unions to try and find a solution.
I’m a former CRC member of staff in a functional role, do I have to vote in this ballot?
Anyone who is impacted by the contents of the proposal should be included in the ballot, but, ultimately this is for the trade unions to decide.
Are we also voting on a wider pay deal and how will this impact harmonisation?
No, these are completely separate issues. There will be a ballot for harmonisation to Probation Service terms and conditions and when negotiations are concluded, a separate ballot for the Probation Service pay award.
zARCHIVED: Update on Harmonisation – August 2022
Update on Harmonisation – August 2022
We am pleased to confirm that negotiations with the 3 recognised probation trade unions have concluded and a proposal has been finalised to align the terms and conditions of former Parent Organisation and Supply Chain colleagues to those of the Probation Service. Further information will be made available once the recognised TUs are in a position to confirm ballot timeframes.
Jim’s message 22nd July
Jim Barton – SRO for Probation Reform and Electronic Monitoring Programmes
Update message to staff – Friday 22 July
As Amy is on leave this week, I am in the ‘hotseat’ for providing you with her regular update message and it certainly has felt very hot this week with the soaring temperatures we have experienced!
Thank you to everyone who has been in work and continued delivering our important services during this spell of unprecedented weather.
New ministerial team
As I am sure many of you are aware, we have recently welcomed a new ministerial team with Stuart Andrew MP appointed our new Minister of State for Prisons and Probation – you can find out more about all the portfolios here: Ministerial portfolios – Ministry of Justice HQ Intranet. We have been updating Minister Andrew on all the great work happening across Probation and we look forward to working with him and the rest of the team.
Pay
We know that you are understandably keen to find out what the latest position is on Probation pay and Ian Barrow and team are working hard behind the scenes on this. Negotiations with the recognised Probation Service Trade Unions are advancing quickly on what we believe will be a good and fair multi-year pay deal for all staff. Any deal will secure necessary reforms to our pay structure and deliver increases in pay to all staff. The nature of a three-year deal would also mean that staff can rely upon receiving any entitled increases on time, during the lifetime of the deal. You can read Ian’s latest probation pay blog here) and we will continue to keep you updated.
Community Accommodation Service
Next week sees the first anniversary of the Community Accommodation Service (CAS) 3 early adopter sites going live across five of our Probation regions. This important scheme has provided up to 84 nights of temporary accommodation and floating support for prison leavers, subject to probation supervision, who would otherwise have become homeless. A huge thank you to all the teams involved in setting this up across the North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, East of England, Kent, Surrey and Sussex and Greater Manchester. Roll out of the scheme across Wales and the rest of England is now underway and due to be completed by the end of the year.
Probation Day
Just to remind you that Probation Day 2022 is fast approaching with this year’s theme being Belonging. I know there are lots of plans underway across regions to celebrate our second Probation Day and I hope you will be able to take part in some way. I am personally looking forward to being out visiting some of you in the lead up to Probation Day. We are holding a short national event on Friday 19 August at 10.00am to launch this year’s celebrations so please do join us if you can: Probation Day 2022 launch event
Recruitment
One of our aims from Probation Day is to raise awareness of the work of the Probation Service and encourage more people to apply to work for us. One of the big recruitment campaigns we currently have is for Community Payback supervisors and placement coordinators in six Probation regions. If you know someone who enjoys helping others and making a difference in their community, why not encourage them to find out more and apply by 17 August?
Thank you
Finally, as schools break for the holidays and we approach the busy summer leave season, I know many of you will be taking well earned breaks over the coming weeks. I wanted to therefore take this opportunity to thank you for all you have done this year so far in what has again been a very busy period and if you are taking leave, I hope you have a great time however you choose to spend it.
Thank you
Jim
Amy’s message 8th July
Amy Rees – Director General Probation, Wales and Youth
Update message to staff – Friday 8 July
I really enjoyed opportunities to be out and about meeting some of you last week. On Wednesday, I met with a group of Probation Officers in Reading to hear their thoughts on their roles and update them on work we are doing centrally. We had a very candid and insightful discussion so a huge thank you to all who joined and for the brilliant work you are doing every day.
On Thursday, I was in London visiting the Ruskin House office, meeting staff who work in the Public Protection Casework Section (PPCS) and seeing first-hand the very important work they do. Thank you to everyone I met for the warm welcome I received and all you are doing to help us protect the public and keep communities safe.
One of the vital areas of our practice the PPCS team oversee is Parole, and there is an important change to Parole Board rules being implemented from the 21 July which will see the Single Secretary of State View being introduced in terms of report recommendations. As I am sure you are aware, Parole reform is a priority for the Deputy Prime Minister (you can read more about his thoughts on Parole and a review undertaken on the MOJ intranet). Information has come out to regions this week to brief teams on the change to a Single Secretary of State View so it is really important that you are aware of this and how it will change our processes. There are also national briefings taking place from next week and you can find more information on these and how to join them below.
A reminder that we have an all staff event taking place next week on Tuesday 12 July at 9.15am to update you on work being undertaken to respond to the findings of the joint Race Survey we published in earlier this year. This will be a short 30 minute update call ahead of fuller event in September. Please do join us if you can by following this link.
I have enjoyed seeing photos of many of you taking part in Pride celebrations over the last few weeks and decorating offices to affirm our support to LGBT+ colleagues across the Probation Service. I am committed to making the Probation Service a diverse and inclusive organisation where everyone can feel they belong, so a huge thank you to everyone who is helping us do this and in particular to Nic Turner and Pride in Prisons and Probation (PiPP) staff network for all the great work they do every day to raise awareness and support staff. Hear more from Nic and how you can get involved with PiPP on the HMPPS Intranet.
Just to remind you that Probation Day 2022 is approaching with this year’s theme being Belonging. I know there are lots of plans underway across regions to celebrate our second Probation Day and I hope you will be able to take part in some way. We will also be holding a national event on Friday 19 August at 10.00am so please keep an eye out for more information on this.
Finally, Eid Mubarak to those celebrating Eid-ul Adha this weekend.
As always, thank you for all you are doing.
Amy
Probation Job Evaluation Scheme (JES) – One Year On
Probation Job Evaluation Scheme (JES) – One Year On
A year ago, in July 2021, a review of the Probation Job Evaluation Scheme process was carried out jointly with trade unions. The review identified a number of recommendations and a central Job Evaluation Management Group (JEMG) was established to oversee the implementation of these recommendations.
A short-term recommendation of the review was a mapping exercise, which identified roles that were a high priority for job evaluation. Roles most urgently needing to go through the job evaluation process were placed in the Priority 1 group.
You can find out more about the Job Evaluation Scheme and the JES Review 2021 on the Probation Hub.
The job evaluations for roles within this first category are now complete and the PWP Job Evaluation project team would like to use this opportunity to share their thanks with those involved; we know it hasn’t always been a straightforward process.
Our priority as we reach this milestone is to look at how we can make improvements to the JES process. We are going to be working with the Strategy and Improvement team within PWP to look at the lessons learnt over the past year and the insight we can gain from the experience of stakeholders who have been involved with JES so far. If you would like to support and contribute to the lessons learned exercise, please contact Sheridan Percival (sheridan.percival@justice.gov.uk).
Work on Priority 2 roles has commenced; these are roles where an urgent business need for job evaluation has been identified – there are 13 roles in this group. Steady progress is being made and focus groups for some roles have already started. We expect work on P2 roles to progress throughout the remainder of this year and we will be implementing feedback and lessons learnt from the P1 group on an ongoing basis.
