Short-staffed probation house told to improve

A residential unit in Nottingham which provides temporary community placements for "high-risk and complex people" on probation has been rated by inspectors as requiring improvement.

The report by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation (HMIP) said "prolonged staffing shortages and management instability" had impacted the quality and consistency of services at Trent House in Woodborough Road.

HMIP visited the facility in June and at the time of the inspection it had 19 male residents out of a capacity of 20.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), which is responsible for probation services, said it would identify areas for improvement.

Chief inspector of probation, Martin Jones, said: "We recognise that Trent House was operating in challenging circumstances at the time of this inspection, having been without a substantive manager for an extended period.

"Despite this, we found a committed and resilient staff group who were working hard to maintain service delivery."

The report found some strengths in the way staff managed risk, safeguarded residents, and maintained a safe environment.

But at the time of the inspection Trent House had been operating without its substantive manager for four months.

Staffing shortages also reduced the unit's ability to "deliver a sufficient rehabilitative programme", inspectors said.

Staff described working additional hours, difficulties taking breaks and increased pressure from vacancies and sickness.

Nine recommendations have been made in the inspectorate's report - seven for the Trent House leadership team and two for the probation service.

These include strengthening quality assurance activity, and improving the effectiveness of recruitment and onboarding to reduce delays in filling vacancies.

Responding to the report, the MOJ said it would strengthen links with specialist partners to improve rehabilitative activities residents had access to and reduce delays in filling vacancies at probation facilities.

A spokesperson said: "This government inherited a probation service under immense pressure.

"We're boosting probation resource with up to £700m of additional funding by 2028, recruiting a further 1,300 probation officers on top of the 2,300 already committed.

"And we're investing in new technology to reduce admin so staff can focus on work that reduces re-offending."

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