Yorkshire and the
Humber Probation
Service
PROBATION OFFICER
BAND 4
Welcome from Kilvinder Vigurs - Yorkshire &
The Humber Regional Probation Director
Hello,
My name is Kilvinder Vigurs, and I am the Regional Probation Director for Probation Service Yorkshire and the
Humber.
The Probation Service Yorkshire and the Humber is one of twelve probation regions across England and Wales which
provide probation provision, as part of His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS).
Every role within Probation Service Yorkshire and the Humber is important and contributes to our shared vision of
“working together to protect the public and help people lead law-abiding lives". I am therefore delighted that you are
considering joining our team as a Case Administrator.
To assist you with your application we have created this short information pack to provide you with some background
information to the Probation Service, the services we provide and, importantly, what we can offer you.
Our recruitment is based upon the Civil Service Success Profile framework, which you may be unfamiliar with. I would
encourage you to read and form your application using the corresponding information found in the pages below.
Finally, I would like to wish you the best of luck with your application for Case Administrator and your future career
with the Probation Service Yorkshire and the Humber Region. We all look forward to working with you.
Kilvinder Vigurs
Contents
Working
Ministry of
About the
within the
Justice-
Probation
Our Region
Civil Service
who we are
Service
Frequently
The Role
Salary &
Asked
Benefits
Questions
The vast majority of staff in HMPPS, and MOJ are Civil Servants. You too will
become a Civil Servant when you join the Probation Service.
The Civil Service Code
The ‘Civil Service Code’ outlines the Civil Service’s core values, and the standards of
behaviour expected of all Civil Servants. The Civil Service’s core values are integrity,
Working
honesty, objectivity and impartiality.
The code also gives details of Civil Servants’ rights and responsibilities in relation to
within the
the code.
The Civil Service values:
Civil Service
• ‘Integrity’ is putting the obligations of public service above your own personal
interests
• ‘Honesty’ is being truthful and open
• ‘Objectivity’ is basing your advice and decisions on rigorous analysis of the
evidence
• ‘Impartiality’ is acting solely according to the merits of the case and serving equally
well governments of different political persuasions
The Ministry of Justice -
who we are
The Ministry of Justice is a major government department, at the heart of the justice system. Our vision
is to deliver a world-class justice system that works for everyone in society.
We are responsible for these parts of the justice system:
• Courts
• Prisons
• Probation services
• Attendance centres
The organisation works together and with other government departments and agencies to bring the
principles of justice to life for everyone in society. From our civil courts, tribunals and family law hearings,
to criminal justice, prison and probation services.
Our priorities is to protect the public from serious offenders and improve the safety and security of our
prisons, reduce reoffending and deliver swift access to justice.
MOJ
Values
Delivering as part of HMPPS and the Ministry of Justice
HMPPS Priorities
HM Prisons and Probation Service
protects the public, maintains safe and
secure prisons, reduces the risk that
people will reoffend and helps people to
live law abiding and positive lives.
Everyone in HMPPS should have a
shared understanding of the approach
we will take to improve our services and
achieve our vision. Our strategy sets out
four principles that, if built into the way
we work, will enable us to achieve our
vision.
The Probation Service works with
around 230,000 people on
About the
probation. Our staff have an
important role to play - helping
protect communities by supporting
Probation
people to get back on track and
make better life choices
Service
Interventions
Sentence Management
Community Payback (CP) isn’t
The Probation Service forms part of His
Probation officers work
just an alternative to custody,
Our Probation Service
Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service
with people on probation in
it’s a way of helping to create
(HMPPS), along with the Prison Service
Assess-Protect-Change
the community and in
better outcomes for people on
and Youth Custody Service. In turn,
prisons, supporting them to
probation and better
HMPPS is part of the Ministry of Justice
get back on track and turn
Our priority is to protect the public by the
communities.
(MOJ), the Government’s ministerial
their lives around.
effective rehabilitation of offenders, by
department at the heart of the justice
reducing the causes which contribute to
system, working together to bring the
offending and enabling offenders to turn
principles of justice to life for everyone in
their lives around.
society.
The Probation Service oversees
probation delivery in England and Wales
to support the rehabilitation of our
Support Courts
Victim Support
service users, encouraging them to turn
around their lives and become law-
Probation practitioners collaborate with the court
abiding citizens, ultimately keeping the
service to provide judiciary support, by producing
Victim Liaison Officers help
public safe
reports. These help the court to set appropriate
support victims of crime
conditions that protect the public and victims and
within our region.
support successful rehabilitation.
Probation Service
Yorkshire and the Humber (YatH) Region
• Yorkshire and the Humber (YatH) contains some of the
UK’s largest cities, including Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford
and Hull.
• It also contains large rural areas such as the Yorkshire
Dales and the North Yorkshire Moors.
• There are four Police Force areas: Humberside, North
14. Barnsley & Rotherham
Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire.
15. Sheffield
•
16. Doncaster
We have 11 Probation Delivery Units: Barnsley and
17. Leeds
Rotherham, Sheffield, Doncaster, Leeds, Wakefield,
18. Wakefield
Kirklees, Bradford and Calderdale, York, North
19. Kirklees
Yorkshire, Hull and East Riding, North and North East
20. Bradford and Calderdale
Lincolnshire.
21. York
22. North Yorkshire
23. Hull and East Riding
24. North and North East Lincolnshire
Probation Service
Yorkshire and the Humber (YatH) Region
The Probation Officer Role
We are looking for people with empathy and resilience to help
Probation Officers role is to provide professional advice and
people change. The role of a probation officer is rewarding but can
assessments, including written reports to courts, the Parole Board,
be challenging - as you often work with people with complex
other criminal justice agencies and partner organisations.
needs, and no two people are the same.
As a Probation Officer, you will:
You should have:
• Update and maintain records and other documentation within agreed
• Experience of working with a wide variety of people who have
timescales
experienced a range of social/personal difficulties.
• Attend professional meetings and represent the NPS at appropriate
• Experience of working with diverse communities including
partnership forums
promoting equality and valuing diversity.
• Undertake prison, home or other alternate location visits as required
• An understanding and appreciation of equality.
• Carry out safeguarding children duties in accordance with the NPS
• Experience of working with individuals and groups in order to
statutory responsibilities and agency policies
motivate and change offending behaviour.
• Undertake the full range of offender management tasks with
• Experience of working with people who have committed offences.
offenders assessed at all levels of risk of serious harm including high
and very high.
You must hold a Probation Officer qualification or be a qualified
Probation Officer.
In your first months with YatH you’ll be supported by your team
throughout, and you’ll be there for them in turn.
Why I became a ‘Probation Officer’
Alex explains what made him choose to become a Probation Officer. I have always had an interest in working
Directly with offenders. Having previously studied criminology at university, the criminal justice system has always
interested me. One of my university lecturers also previously worked within the Probation Service and provided an insight
into how the service operated and its core values.
I worked odd jobs in my home city as I was unsure exactly what avenue to take with my career. I started volunteering with the Prison
Advice and Care Trust (Pact), a through the gate support service for prisoners who have just been released from custody. This gave me
experience in formulating risk assessments as well as interacting with people involved with the criminal justice system.
My work with Pact definitely played a part in becoming a probation officer. It cemented my desire to work directly with People on Probation
and be involved in the criminal justice system. I think my understanding of the Probation Service prior to starting my training gave me a
good idea of how it would be. Nevertheless, the complex individuals that I work with provide a refreshing understanding of how individual’s
think and behave. People on Probation will always keep you on your toes in that regard, and so my work as a probation officer is
constantly changing.
As someone’s probation officer, you are the lead professional and take the lead in terms of managing aspects of the offender’s life. This
initially caught me off-guard during my training as it seemed daunting speaking during multi-agency meetings. However, the training is in
place to give you the opportunity to learn and develop your skills within professional settings. In turn, making you a more proficient
probation officer.
The most rewarding part of the job is seeing the positive change you can instil in someone’s life when they were previously putting others
and themselves at risk. Often in probation we work with people who are struggling with various facets of their life, be it drug addiction,
mental health issues or homelessness. So, it is very rewarding to use the opportunity of working with these people to help change the
trajectory of their lives.
Salary & Benefits
• The starting salary for this post is £35,130 per annum, based on a full time
37 hour week
•
Death in Service benefit
• Pay progression is reliant on proving competence with the competency-
•
Generous paid maternity, paternity and shared parental leave (SPL) which
is in excess of the statutory minimum
based framework
•
Occupational Health Services and an Employee Assistance Programme
• Part-time positions are available, subject to a minimum of 18.5 hours per
week
•
Free eye test and contributions towards lenses/spectacles for VDU users,
if appropriate
Benefits
•
Free flu vaccine
• 25 days annual leave allowance (increasing to 30 days after 5 years
•
MOJ Employee Rewards- all employees have access to a comprehensive
service), in addition to 9 statutory bank and public holidays (pro rata).
rewards programme, with discounts at your favourite retailers. This is
exclusively for MOJ employees
• Local Government Pension Scheme
•
Reward and Recognition awards
Working for the Probation Service, you will be eligible to join a competitive
contribution pension scheme that you can enter as soon as you join. The
•
Cycle to Work Scheme allows employees to select a bike or cycling
equipment from national retailers including Halford, Evans Cycles and
Probation Service will make a significant contribution (approx. 27%) to the
Cycle Solution
cost of your pension. Your contributions are deducted from your salary, prior
to tax being taken. The pension will continue to provide valuable benefits for
•
Eligible for Blue Light Card discount programme
you and your family if you are too ill to continue to work or die before you
•
retire. Visit Local Government Pension Scheme more information.
Civil Service Sports Council
What we are looking for?
Experience
In your application you will be asked to provide evidence of how your skills and experience meet the essential criteria.
• Have strong communication skills both verbal and written and the ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of
individuals, including those who may present difficult or aggressive behaviour
• Use and work on own initiative
• Good keyboard and IT skills including proficiency in MS Office Word and basic skills in Excel
Behaviours
The Yorkshire and Humber Probation Service uses the Civil Service Success Profiles framework. You will be asked to refer to
the Behaviours described overleaf at your interview.
Strengths
At interview you will be asked questions that will allow us to gauge your personal strengths, your natural reactions are a good
indicator of what these are, or potentially can be.
Behaviours
The Probation service uses the Civil Service
Success Profiles framework. A combination of
these Behaviours will be tested at the interview
stage for Case Administrators. You will be asked
questions based on these Behaviours and you
should provide an example of how you have
achieved these Behaviours using the “STAR model".
Application Process
Applications should be submitted via Justice Jobs. We are unable to accept late submissions.
Application
When you complete your online application you will be asked to provide:
1.
Your eligibility to be employed by the Probation Service
2.
Your personal details
Shortlist
3.
Upload your CV, which should include details of essential criteria- evidence of how your skills
and experience meet the criteria.
Use this link to here for tip on how to apply
Interview
Should you have any problems with your online application, please contact us:
YatHPS.Recruitment@justice.gov.uk
Offer
Application Process
Application
A sift of applications is conducted by a panel that will assess the evidence provided against the essential criteria
listed in the person specification.
Shortlist
All shortlisted candidates will be advised of the outcome shortly afterwards via the Justice Jobs Portal - keep an
eye out for an email, as this maybe sent to your spam/junk mailbox.
Interview
You will be asked to upload two forms of identification and qualifications (if required) prior to selecting an
interview slot.
Offer
Application Process
Application
Successful candidates will be invited to attend a interview. This will be a blended interview to test your
experience, behaviours and strengths. We do not advertise the strengths being tested as we want to hear
your first, unrehearsed and natural response.
Shortlist
All interviews are conducted in person. You will be contacted by a member of the recruitment team if you
have identified that you require a reasonable adjustment to be in place at the interview.
Interview
Offer
Application Process
Application
Our aim is to inform successful candidates within 5 working days after interview has taken place.
Regardless of the outcome, we will notify all candidates as soon as possible. You may be placed on a
merit list, and can be contacted up to 12 months after the interview to be offered an alternative position.
Shortlist
Please note that this role requires successful completion of pre-employment checks including basic vetting
checks. This usually takes 6 to 8 weeks to process. You will be asked to provide further details by SSCL.
We advise that you complete this as accurately as possible to avoid any delays in employment. When
completing the vetting form we advise you to use a laptop or PC and not a mobile phone or tablet.
Interview
Once all checks have been completed, a formal offer of employment will be sent via email for you to
accept the terms & conditions of employment.
At this point you will be contacted by your line manager, to discuss a start date to join the Yorkshire and
Humber Probation Service.
Offer
Diversity &
Inclusion
The Probation Service Yorkshire and the
Humber Region is committed to build a
more inclusive workplace where staff are
encouraged to be themselves and
deliver their best work.
We've attached our diversity and
inclusion statement for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find help in completing my application?
What is included in the Pre-Employment Checks?
Please visit the below links for further information and support in completing You will undergo HM Prison and Probation Service Enhanced level 2
your application:
vetting
How to write your CV | Civil Service Careers (civil-service-
Some roles require access to intelligence systems that require deeper
careers.gov.uk)
vetting, an example of which is the multi-agency Visor system. If you are
applying for a role that requires you to access Visor, you will be expected to
Information for Candidates applying to work in the Civil Service -
undertake visor vetting once you commence in post, in addition to the usual
YouTube
pre-employment checks.
We also offer candidate training, which will provide help and guidance on
Success Profiles, how to complete your application, interview skills and
techniques. Follow this link to book onto our next available webinar session. Criminal Record Checks
What are Pre-Employment Checks?
All our roles are exempt from the Offender Rehabilitation Act. You must
declare any Convictions, cautions and absolute or conditional discharge
Pre-employment screening is a series of checks we carry out to ensure we
- regardless of how long ago they occurred.
comply with current legislation and to help us make informed employment
decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Nationality do I need to hold in order to Apply?
• Certain family members of the relevant EU,EEA, Swiss or Turkish
nationals.
This role is broadly open to the following groups:
If you require any further information on right to work in the UK, please read
• UK Nationals
this link
• Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the
What documents are checked?
UK
•
You will be required to upload ID documentation and if required
Nations of the Republic of Ireland
Qualification Certificate(s) which are checked at your interview. A full list of
•
ID documents that are accepted can be found here.
Nationals rom the EU,EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled
status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European
Where will I Work?
Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
•
A list of all available office locations have been advertised on this vacancy.
Relevant EU,EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil
Service
Is this role suitable for part-time working?
• Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the
Yes! We encourage all individuals to apply. Please discuss your working
right to work in the Civil Service
arrangements at the interview or email us in advance to discuss-
YathPS.recruitment@justice.gov.uk
Contact Us
We encourage all candidates to
carefully study the Candidate
Information Pack and job advert, which
explains the role and requirements
before submitting an application. If you
have any specific queries about this
role that have not been covered by this
document, please contact:
YatHPS.Recruitment@justice.gov.uk