Wakefield Probation Delivery Unit (PDU) has received an overall rating of ‘Requires improvement’ following an inspection by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation.

Martin Jones, Chief Inspector of Probation, said: “In Wakefield Probation Delivery Unit, staff and managers were committed, with evidence of strong leadership. However, the pressure on staff meant that the management of cases was largely insufficient in terms of the quality of work to change the lives of people on probation and manage the risk of harm they posed.”

The inspection found strong governance arrangements and relationships with partner agencies, which led to innovative ways of working and promoted a professional culture. However, staff at Wakefield PDU were not always using information from other agencies to assess and manage risk, and strategic plans to address this had not yet improved the way cases were subsequently managed.

At the time the inspection was announced, the PDU also had high vacancy rates for qualified probation officers and for probation services officers, resulting in higher workloads and ongoing training needs, which made it harder for practitioners to deliver high-quality services.

Mr Jones continued: “Wakefield PDU had some of the best results seen in our recent probation inspections, and we were encouraged by what we saw during our visit. Many of the building blocks for success were in place and I trust our recommendations will support staff and leaders into progressing further.”

The report makes seven recommendations, including to understand the needs of both staff and people on probation, and to address actual and potential barriers to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion.

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. Wakefield PDU is one of 11 PDUs in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of the Probation Service.
3. The report is available at justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation on 24 October 2024.
4. HM Inspectorate of Probation is the independent inspector of youth justice 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 this inspection took place in August 2024.
7. For media enquiries, please contact Louise Cordell, Head of Communications 07523 805224 / media@hmiprobation.gov.uk (E-mail address)