Home Visits
Research shows us that individuals benefit from interactive and engaging supervision; this includes having home visits which is why they are an integral part of our blended supervision model.
Home Visits Policy Framework
To support you, a new Home Visits Policy Framework has been made available. Developed for probation practitioners, victim liaison officers, case administrators and line managers, it highlights when a home visit must occur and has information on safeguarding, sentence management and risk assessment and management. It also covers the health and safety requirements you and your line manager are required to complete, before, during and after a visit.
Regional delivery
Implementation of the Home Visits Framework is starting now, ramping up to January 2022. Please speak with your manager and refer to local communications for information on delivery of services in your region.
Need to Know
Home Visit risk assessment forms
- To be completed on NDelius via an NSI – a CRI has been prepared to support this. Providing adherence to health and safety requirements.
- Where more than one visit is done to the same address, with no changes in circumstances, the form simply must be updated with the dates of the visit, and the whole form does not need to be repeated.
Mandatory timescales
- A home visit should be conducted within 15 days of the start of supervision for individuals who are a high risk of serious harm / registered S.O. / involved in CSE.
- A home visit should be conducted within 6 weeks of the start of supervision for individuals who are a medium risk of serious harm.
- A home visit should be conducted within 12 weeks of the start of supervision for individuals who are a low risk of serious harm. Where new or escalating concerns arise, a home visit should be undertaken at the earliest opportunity from the identification of concern.
- Where increased risk or new / escalating safeguarding concerns arise, a home visit should be undertaken at the earliest opportunity (within 10 working days).
- Where conducting home visits is identified as part of risk management, the frequency of visits should be recorded in the risk management plan.
Performance monitoring from January 2022
Use of NSI and Management oversight allows for performance reporting.
Lone worker devise and travel
The use of lone worker devices and hire/pool cars for travel to home visits are already in place
Where to find the guide
The full Home Visit Policy Framework is available in EQuiP and also GOV.UK