3rd Report: Coronavirus (COVID-19): The impact on probation services

The government states that guidance to CRCs was issued through Exceptional Delivery Models and Cabinet Office Public Procurement Notices, and HMPPS is monitoring delivery via a comprehensive recovery dashboard, a National Recovery Board, 12 regional recovery boards, and specific recovery workstreams.

HMPPS has developed a programme to capture and share learning from the Covid-19 response, integrating data, staff and service-user perspectives, and international practice, with a focus on remote supervision, alternative delivery models, and staff wellbeing. The government commits to updating the Committee on the progress of this work.

The government accepts the recommendation, committing to increase recruitment with a minimum of 1000 new probation officers in training by January 2021. It details a Covid-19 Staff Wellbeing Plan, a forthcoming wellbeing toolkit, and a comprehensive wellbeing action plan in the Probation Workforce Strategy, including Mental Health Allies and a new Recovery Workstream.

The government details several measures put in place for prison leavers during Covid-19, including providing phones, discharge packs, requiring Through the Gate providers to focus on resettlement needs, and establishing Homelessness Prevention Taskforces.

The government states that Annex 1 provides the detailed timeline for the probation service transition and outlines ongoing oversight by an independent challenge panel and the IPA, with a further IPA review in late September 2020.