Probation Officer / Probation Services Officer
Probation staff help people complete court orders and rebuild their lives while protecting the public and reducing reoffending. Qualified Probation Officers and Probation Services Officers have different responsibilities, levels of authority and training requirements.
Day to day Tasks
- Meet people under supervision and monitor progress against sentence or rehabilitation plans.
- Encourage positive change and help people access appropriate support services.
- Record contact, progress and concerns accurately.
- Contribute to risk assessments and refer changes in risk to the appropriate practitioner.
- Work with prison staff, courts and other agencies involved in rehabilitation.
- Undertake community, home or prison visits within agreed procedures.
- Qualified officers undertake the assessments, reports and decisions assigned to their professional role.
Skills and Knowledge
- Strong communication and the ability to build professional relationships.
- Confidence setting boundaries and responding to challenging behaviour.
- Empathy alongside the ability to question information and assess risk.
- Clear report writing and careful case-record management.
- Resilience, sound judgement and the ability to remain calm.
- Organisation and the ability to work with partner agencies.
- An understanding of safeguarding, confidentiality and professional responsibility.
Industry Qualifications
Becoming a qualified Probation Officer requires an accepted professional qualification. Probation Services Officer posts have separate requirements and should not be assumed to need the same qualification.