The probation service, also known as a Probation Delivery Unit (PDU*), in Sheffield has been rated as ‘Inadequate’ following an inspection by HM Inspectorate of Probation – scoring just one point out of a possible 27.

This inspection is one of four carried out in the Probation Service – Yorkshire and the Humber region. The other three are Kirklees PDU (rated ‘Inadequate’), Hull and East Riding PDU (rates ‘Requires improvement’) and North and North East Lincolnshire PDU (rated ‘Requires improvement’). These reports were published on 30 March 2023.

Chief Inspector of Probation Justin Russell said: “Sheffield probation service is mirroring the national picture – a service dealing with high vacancy and sickness rates, unmanageable caseloads and staff leaving for careers elsewhere. My main concern, however, is that their work to keep people safe was the weakest area of practice – this cannot continue. Sheffield PDU must improve to ensure the risk of harm people on probation may pose is properly assessed, for the protection of victims, potential victims and the local community.”

Inspectors want to see Sheffield PDU using all the information available to them to properly assess the risk of harm a person on probation may pose. At the time of this inspection, far too many cases did not include essential information from police and children’s services. The impact of this is that efforts to keep people safe may be weakened, particularly in identifying where women and children are at risk of abuse.

The inspection found little management oversight of cases. This means that Senior Probation Officers were not routinely monitoring how people on probation were being managed by their teams and had little insight into whether the quality of work being carried out was being successful, not least how effective the service was at deterring people from reoffending. Managers were hindered by high workloads and insufficient capacity to provide the level of oversight that was necessary.

Mr Russell added: “However committed and determined frontline probation officers are to improve a service – they can only work with the resource and guidance offered to them and manage cases as best they can in challenging circumstances. As such, I call on senior leaders to provide a clear vision for returning Sheffield PDU to an acceptable level of service, for the benefit of all concerned.”

This inspection made 14 recommendations. Six of these are for Sheffield PDU, including that they make arrangements with Sheffield City Council to ensure safeguarding information about potential risks to children is made available to probation practitioners at court and throughout case management. Four recommendations are for the regional probation service, including that they improve access to domestic abuse intelligence held by South Yorkshire Police. The remaining four recommendations are for HMPPS, including that they review the existing process for resolving long-term sickness absence.

ENDS

Notes to editor

1. *Probation Delivery Units (PDUs) replaced Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) and the National Probation Service (NPS), which merged into a unified Probation Service in June 2021.
2. This probation service sits within the Probation Service – Yorkshire and the Humber region.
3. These reports are available at justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation on 30 March 2023 00.01.
4. HM Inspectorate of Probation is the independent inspector of youth offending and probation services across England and Wales.
5. The Inspectorate uses a four-point scale: ‘Outstanding’, ‘Good’, ‘Requires improvement’ and ‘Inadequate’. The Inspectorate rates specific aspects of each service and also gives an overall rating.
6. Fieldwork for these inspections took place in January 2023.
7. For media enquiries, please contact media@hmiprobation.gov.uk (E-mail address)