Blended supervision

Blended supervision is a catch all term that covers the different modes of contact used to undertake sentence management activities with people on probation. This includes in-person contact, telephone calls, and video conferencing (MS Teams telephony).

The Blended Supervision guide

Probation is responsible for ensuring relevant sentences imposed by the courts are delivered and, in doing this, the public are protected and rehabilitation is promoted.

This guidance provides a clear framework for practitioners to make decisions about which mode of contact to use for a particular case, informed by the responsibilities set out above and by a proper consideration of risk and the wider circumstances of each case.

Regional delivery

We flex our standard deliverables, approach and timeframes to more closely meet the diverse needs of communities and people on probation.

Please speak with your manager and refer to local communications for information on delivery of services in your region.

Background to the guide

We have worked under a range of exceptional delivery models (EDMs) as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This resulted in rapid changes in practice, with most offices closing and staff working from home conducting supervision using a mix of office based and remote contacts.

These alternative supervision methods provided learning to help shape future delivery of sentence management in the community and in developing a blended model for supervision

Where to find the guide

The blended supervision staff guidance is available here on Equip

Next steps

From March 2022, we will test the use of a blended supervision model, building on the lessons learnt from the exceptional delivery model.

This evaluation will explore:

  • How practitioners can best be supported with guidance that helps them and how they apply discretion within a mandated set of principles.
  • Technological solutions including telephony and video conferencing.
  • The impact of using different modes of contact on sentence management, as well as risk assessment and risk management.

We will revise the model, informed by the findings from the evaluation that will be available by March 2023.

How this builds into the big picture

Our Target Operating Model includes the ambition to utilise new digital/telecommunication technologies as part of innovating and refreshing the approaches taken to engagement with people on probation.