I'm a Probation Officer- ask me anything

[webster1987]

I feel like the role of a probation officer is often misunderstood and we don't get much exposure (good anyway!) in news/TV so...ask me anything!

Why is your anger focused on probation officers? Adult social services, housing and mental health have a part to play in your nephews care too. I have similar cases where the other agencies are of the view that the person does not meet the criteria for their service. It is awful when you know a person needs xyz and other agencies aren't stepping up. And so when probation have the choice of: housing a person in accommodation where there is insufficient support or in an approved premise where at least there is 24hour staff, sometimes we choose the lesser of two evils.

I absolutely agree, and have been at pains to point out that the probation service does not have the personnel to even begin to do a good job, or any sort of job at all quite honestly in my experience. That is not their fault.

Nor is it their fault that all the services who should have helped this boy from day one failed him: the adoption services, social services, CAMHS, school - all like brick walls against which to bang one's head, whilst watching his inevitable decline into criminality at the hands of drug dealers play out. And all with good intentions but underfunded and understaffed. It is tragic for this one individual and all the others in the same sinking boat.

Sorry @mischance I came across as if i was ranting. He is very lucky to have your love and care.

Thank you.

I have reached the point where I am resigned to the fact that he will finish up stabbed in some backstreet. He can't be released to home or they will all be at risk; but there is nowhere with sufficient support for him to go. It is the bleakest of prospects and we have all been plunged into a terrifying world that we never expected to be part of our life experience. And there is no-one to turn to.

hey! Are u still available for me to ask u some advice

I am currently on a child protection plan with social services. I don’t know if you’ve worked with them before or not but hoping you can help! I’m on this plan for nothing to do with me they praise me for being a good mam, however I had a baby with someone who was abusive towards me and I have gone back to him a few times, I suppose they’re concerns are that I won’t leave him and will be putting my son in harms way. I am not with him now and he is in jail due to be released next month. He has a probation worker who knows me and she comes into core meetings with my social worker to give updates on my ex like any new risks ect… we’ve all agreed on an access plan for when he gets out and my plan is due to he closed down soon as they’ve done everything they need to do and I’ve proven to them I will not go back to him… I recently started seeing someone new, he has not been around my child and it’s still every early stages I’ve only been seeing him 2 months, I have not mentioned this yet to my social worker because as of now it’s gone no further than dates. however has just been given a probation officer for a driving offence, he got a 2 year ban for driving under the influence of cannabis. He also has a criminal record from over 5 years ago. He what to his probation appointment today and they asked if he was single, he said he had been seeing me they asked for my address he said he didn’t know it and only gave them my name and age. They also did not ask him if I had any children. My question is, am I on the probation system somewhere for being my ex partners victim? will his probation worker be able to see anything about me on the system and contact my social worker? Tbh this has completely put me off I didn’t know it would go as deep as he had to tell his probation officer about me when I have all of this going on. My worry is she will log on the system that he is seeing me and something will flag up, if he said I had kids I’m assuming she could’ve put a child referral in herself to have me risk assessed but she didn’t even ask that question. I don’t want to go into my next social meeting and have them suddenly know I’ve been seeing this man it does not look good for me and I’d rather just end it with him. Will she be able to do anything with just my name and age and if so what do u think she will do? Thankyou

@Lauren130222 you won’t have your own profile (unless you have ever been on probation yourself) but we do checks with social services as standard, even if people don’t have children. Was it his first appointment? It’s more likely that his probation officer will give his name and yours and social services may connect the dots. His probation officer should absolutely have asked if you had children though.

Just the fact that he’s on probation may not cause issues for you unless he has a history of DA or child related offences, in which case it’s better that you know now!

I a retired social worker and I can tell you that we often got the heads up from probation officers if there were women on their radar (but not actually clients on their service) who were in new relationships so we could carry out risk assessments. If he hasn't told them you have a child this might not happen but it would in his best interests to tell them all the information. Probation officers and social workers take a dim view of people trying to hide information from them. Given your child is already on a CP plan you could speak to their SW about your new boyfriend. They would be able to do checks to ensure your child is safe.

Tbh I wouldn’t have really even classed him as a boyfriend, he’s never ever been around my child or even in my home when my child’s been in it, imagine going on a few dates with someone and then saying oh btw my social worker needs to check u out, I’ve gone back and forth with my social worker and made complaints because I don’t think what they’re doing to me is fair, I’ve never lied to them about being with my ex ect, when the incident happened I rang the police myself as I always have and my child wasn’t even present when the incident took place, yet for some reason they’ve came down rly hard on me and kept me on a CP plan even with my ex in jail, he’s been in jail since march, every time she comes out she’s very apologetic says she knows how hard this is on me when really I’m not even the one who should be dealing with all this it’s my ex that should, with him being in jail I did try to tell them they wouldn’t be able to do any work with him as jails are useless, but they insisted they would visit him and it would work out to be a good thing in the end and the whole reason for keeping me on a plan with him away (he is the only risk and it’s been eliminated from him going to jail) was so that they could get everything done in preparation for him being out. Fast forward to now in 6 months she’s had 3 visits with him yet I’m forced into core meetings every month. It’s actually quite comical because in these meetings there’s nothing really to say about me as there’s no issues, so they just sit and talk about my ex and what he’s doing in jail, I’ve said how counter productive this is as all they’re doing is coming to my house and speaking and updating me on a partner I’m no longer with who they say I desperately need to get away from? All of this social stuff has shattered my mental health it’s like I’m being penalised for being abused and I’m being punished. She knows I’ve been to counselling recently and I’ve told her it’s actually nothing to do with my ex, all I talk about in my sessions is the unfair treatment I receive from social and how much it effects me and I feel like until it’s all over I can’t even move on with my life, I was meant to go to uni this month I’ve put that on hold, unless you’re in it I don’t think anyone understands how much it takes over your life. And now as a 23 year old you mean to tell me I couldn’t even go on a few dates with someone without this coming up then too? How am I meant to live a normal life like they tell me to? I don’t think he said to his probation officer I was a full on girlfriend he said he just didn’t want to lie about the fact he had been seeing someone maybe that’s why she didn’t ask any heavy detail on me? I don’t think there’s any direct link between this probation officer and my social worker I think the only way that would’ve happened is if she had asked if I had kids and put a child referral in to them then she would be told, but surely it’s private and confidential that other people can’t just tell social services that a certain name has popped up in one of there probation appointments, and further more how would she even know to flag this up to social as she doesn’t know I’ve got a child never mind that I’m on a plan, the link I am worried about is if my exs probation worker has me on her file on my ex as a victim and somehow can see if my name pops up anywhere else? But then again surely that’s my confidential information? She’s not my probation worker so really she shouldn’t be able to access any information on me and if I’m in a new relationship? I’m hoping she didn’t ask about kids ect because it’s only a driving offence and it wouldn’t make a difference anyway as she wouldn’t put a referral in anyway, and I’m hoping that just from my name and age (not even my address) i couldn’t be traced anyway u can imagine my embarrassment when I’ve now had to tell this man I’ve gone out with a few times oh btw I’m really worried now that you telling your probation officer my name might cause me loads of trouble and get back to my social worker, it’s awful I feel like I cannot live normally. I’d honestly rather just not see him again than go through this. I’ve told him in his next meeting on Monday To explain we aren’t seeing eachother anymore and if it ever came up with my social worker I’d simply say yeah we went on a few dates but it didn’t work out why would I need to tell her about someone I’d been on a handful of dates with? I see my friends more often than him and they actually are around my child, in that case do my friends need to be assessed? Honestly the system is so broken they’ve actually destroyed me and made me weaker than I was before they offered there ‘help’ they’ve affected me more than the DV has.

Please see my other reply to the retired social worker

I don’t know how to use this forum every well yet but please read all of my replies as your input will be helpful too Thankyou

As probation officers, we have a statutory duty to complete child safeguarding and domestic abuse checks on any and all of our cases. It’s not a referral, just a check for information.

His probation officer will not be able to look up information about your ex unless, by some chance, they are allocated to the same officer and your ex may not have been allocated an officer yet if he is not due for release any time soon.

In any case, you would be wise to disclose this new relationship to your social worker. As long as he’s not a risk to children, it won’t make a difference and if he is, then it’s far better to know. It’s always better to be honest!

Please try to remember that social services are not trying to ruin your life, they’re trying to keep your children safe and planning for your ex’s release is very important for that.

As just stated we’ve been on a few dates I do not class him as my boyfriend or partner, I’ve known him years and it’s never been romantic but over the past day month n a half we’ve been on about 3-4 dates one i say 3-4 because one of them was just my local pub and I was also with my friends as was he, you think I need to disclose to my social worker that I’ve been on 4 dates with someone so that they can do a full assessment? Surely that is ridiculously over bearing? Not just that but would also place me in immediate danger because if they had to assess this man then my child’s father would have legal right to know and he would then know I’d been on dates with someone and would likely attempt to further assault me when released, surely u can see that’s slightly backwards? The man I’ve been on dates with is not a risk to children he has a child and has always had access, I know this because of the fact I’ve known him for a good few years as friends anyway. But then again I don’t even know if this will progress to him ever being involved with my child ever, it’s been a month n a half ish this for all I know could go no further. As long as my exs probation officer (he does have one she comes into meetings with my social worker) does not get any info that my name is on the file of the man I’ve been on dates with then I think all should be fine. Obviously if this relationship progressed, and I did want him around my child which I wouldn’t allow until atleast 6 months of seeing someone anyway, then I would tell her as there would be need. Do you think this probation worker from him just giving my name and age and saying he’s been seeing me will have passed my name onto anyone? Or just simply logged it on his file as a routine question. If it’s likely going to come up in next meeting then obviously I’d rather beat them to it, but if not it is really really unnecessary hassle and making something out of nothing.

I absolutely did not say they would do a full assessment on him. I said they will do checks with social services, which they will, it’s not optional. It’s up to you what you do.

@lauren so you've known him for years but he doesn't know where you live? And you think that your child was not affected by the dv that occured beucase the child was not present when it occured? Probation and Soc servs definately view a child as being impacted by dv even if they were not present when the violence occurred .
Just be up front with the agencies.

@wizzywig I’ve known him for years as we live in the same area and he knows my family, but no he does not know my door number, I’m not sure how often you give out private details like that :/ and sorry but could u please explain to me the effects a DV incident has on a child that was not present when the incident occurred? As in he was in a completely different house with my mother having a sleepover. He is also only 2 years old. He is completely up to date if not ahead of milestones and socials workers have said themselves there are no signs he has been affected. However if you have some actual facts and information on how an incident that happened when the child was completely unaware and in the care of someone else would have affected him id really like you to enlighten me on them? I’ve done pretty extensive research on it all myself. I am not on a CP plan because anyone thinks my child has been affected, I am on a CP plan because I still will allow him to have access with his father as there’s never been any issues with his parenting only with me and they wanted to do a parenting assessment on him first and then work out a plan of access and get his father to work with services like mental health and DV courses, they also wanted to offer me the most support they could to not end up going back to him if I wanted it. His father then ended up in jail on a recall. Therefore they’ve been able to complete no work with him, and I have been in counselling which I decided off my own back to do and have completed my parenting assessment coming off squeaky clean with no issues. Yet I’m still being harassed every month with meetings updating me on my ex partner, pretty weird I’m sure u wouldn’t want to know that your exs were up to every month. However that’s besides the point. I am very opened minded in the fact that I do not believe that all social workers or probation workers are bad and most genuinely do want to help. However from what I’ve gone through recently I have came to realise they are not all as honest and genuine as they say they are and anyone in this world who thinks that every person in their line of work is genuine and in it for 100% the right reasons is plain foolish. I’ve made complaint after complaint of mess ups they’ve made and they all get ignored, because there is no higher power to complain to above social services so you are really just complaining back to the people who messed up in the first place. This isn’t the case for probation as you’ll know there is the ombudsman. Now I do not think I need to inform my social worker that I have been on 3-4 dates with a man, that is a ridiculous suggestion. If this man was ever going to become a serious boyfriend or be around my child then absolutely. But I’m very aware that this social worker is not my friend and I will not treat her as one, she’s there to do a job and know the relevant information. To be honest I do think if I did tell her I’d been on 4 dates but it’s nothing serious yet and he has not met my son and certainly won’t be in the near future if ever, I don’t think she would even go as far as to look into him. However there has to be a boundary as I’ve stated she is not a friend and does not need to know every detail of my life, I’ve got no convictions, I’ve had no previous involvement with social services as a child or teenager, they have absolutely no parenting concerns with me, I’ve got no drug issues I rarely drink in simple terms I do nothing wrong, my only fault has been going back to a man who was awful to me. therefore surely there is no reason that it should be me that has to have my life picked apart and have every detail disclosed, they should be doing that to his father. Unfortunately that is just not how the system works as my social worker has said herself she knows it is unfair and it usually does tend to be the mothers who aren’t the issue who are sat in all these meetings. In future maybe ask a little more if you’re going to give responses that are jumping to your own conclusions and offering no real answer to any questions I asked, Thanks.

@wizzywig just out of curiosity, as you’ve obviously read my posts and seen I continuously stated I do not class myself as in a relationship and have only been on 3-4 dates with this man and he’s never been around my child. If I was to go out on one of my child free nights and have a one night stand do you also think that I should make my social worker aware? What is the line that you think has to be crossed before I tell them? He was simply asked by his probation worker his relationship status and he said he was dating/seeing someone. So do u think if I go on one date I need to get the go ahead from my social worker? Or is it two or three dates where you draw the line? Because I’m pretty sure together for CHILDREN and involved to know anything that regards to or concerns my child. This man has never and might never be around my child, It could end up just back to a friendship. I am just so baffled as to why anyone would think my child’s social worker needs to know any date I go on that completely does not affect my child in anyway. If I was a woman coming on here saying I had a whole secret relationship and he was living with me then I would completely understand. These people do not need to know my every move when I’m on my child free nights as myself when my child is safely looked after and it concerns me that someone who is in a job like probation so has probably worked alongside together for children at some point would ever think it is fair or just that a women would have to disclose every date she’s been on.

My son was allocated a new probation officer a few months ago due to other one moving area, ( he's currently on recall) but they seem to be on long term sick leave how does he complain or ask for another allocated to him ( obviously it's difficult for him to contact anyone official) he has tried calling office 19 times & only once answered, he's not specifically wanting to complain about them individually but probation service have a duty to provide someone who is contactable & interacting with him & or his OMU, thanks

If he hasn't been able to get through by phone, I would encourage him to send a letter to the probation office for the attention of a Senior Probation Officer (SPO) as they manage the Probation Officers. Explain the situation and why it's important he has someone working with him, especially on recall. It will depend on what stage his recall is at, however, as to how much involvement a community based officer would need with him at this point. Has he had his recall reviewed by the Parole Board yet?

I know this is a really old thread but so glad I found it. I have just applied to a trainee role and completed the assessment online. I’ve been searching lots online to get more of an insight and this thread has been brilliant. So just wanted to say thank you!

Good luck with the application, I'm happy to hear this has been useful! I used to work in the training team too so feel free to get back in touch if you get offered an interview.

I've recently come across an account on TikTok -'40slifelou'- who is an ex probation officer and talks about her experiences, really interesting so worth looking up if you're on there 😊

What happens if you're signed off by your gp due to bad health but you have probation for a suspended sentence - do you still have to go?

It would have to be looked at on an individual basis. If someone has been signed off for two weeks, it might be reasonable to consider the two probation appointments they might have in that time frame can be missed. Or it might be more appropriate for us to carry out home visits to that person, or phone calls. If someone is signed off indefinitely, consideration would need to be given as to why. What is their ill heath preventing them from doing? Can they come to appointments but not work? What type of sentence they are on would also determine appropriate action. If a suspended sentence with an unpaid work requirement for example, it might that requirement is no longer workable and would have to be returned to court.

A young close relative of mine, who is drug-addicted, was in prison for 5 years. During that time he was twice released on licence under the supervision of the probation service. Their role seemed to be simply to require him to see them at regular intervals, rather than offer any help. On both occasions he was returned to prison for missing appointments - but he did not have the means to actually get there, since all his money had gone on drugs.

There was no housing or benefits support; no drug services involved. No nothing really.

Now that he is released (on a bank holiday with no help or support) he is simply floundering around and there seems to be no help for him. Should probation not be involved with a newly discharged prisoner?

Yes, absolutely they should. There is a requirement that someone will report to probation on the day of release or within 24 hrs depending on risks etc. if someone’s offending is very much linked to their drug use/dependency, I would be incredibly surprised if there wasn’t a licence condition for your relative to engage with the local drug agency. They might also be subject to drug testing. Probation do not have everything ‘in house’ so we are not an accommodation provider, for example, and have to work with other agencies to try and help people get accommodation. Being recalled for missed appointments, kindly, is unlikely, unless this was persistent and a known risk that this could be a sign of relapse into drug use (which you’ve said there was). It would also likelu be coupled with being completely out of contact ie. No phone calls, no response to home visits.

I won’t claim the system is perfect, far from it, but drug support would have been offered. We can’t force people to take it. We also can’t risk those in active addiction with a risk of reoffending/causing harm to stay in the community if they choose not to. The bigger picture calls for better services for those with addiction.