About the North West Region

The following sections give a brief description of the North West local areas and highlight particular characteristics of the area and some of the key areas of service activity.

CHESHIRE

Cheshire Probation Area is the 19th largest Probation Area, employing some 450 staff and aspiring to reflect the diverse communities it serves within its workforce. The Area is a key agency within the local criminal justice system and during the year will supervise at any one time nearly 3000 offenders subject to community sentences or prison post release licences and produce more than 3000 reports for sentencers in the Magistrates' and Crown Courts. The county consists primarily of an agricultural plain of some 40 mile from East to West and a similar distance from North to South. Most of the larger towns are situated around the perimeter of the county and the county town of Chester is located close to the Western boundary. The Northern area, which includes Warrington, Widnes and Runcorn, is more heavily industrialised.

The Area's Chief Officer and five Assistant Chief Officers manage the key functions of service delivery. These include its work with prisons, high risk offenders, victims, Courts, Unpaid Work and Accredited Programmes.

The supervision of offenders is managed through Case Management Units located across the county area. Staff working directly with offenders are located in eight main offices across Cheshire, including the Headquarters in Chester, and two industrial units in Ellesmere Port and Widnes, the latter for the purposes of Unpaid Work. Probation staff are also seconded to each of the three Cheshire prisons: HMP Risley; HMYOI Thorn Cross and HMP Styal, and the two Youth Offending Teams (Cheshire and Halton/Warrington combined). Additionally, Probation staff also work from the six Magistrates' Courts and three Crown Court sites. The Area has two Approved Premises (hostels) in Ellesmere Port and Sandbach which are run by Probation staff. Both can accommodate 22 male residents (18 years and over), who are the subject of a Court Order with a condition of residence or are bailees or have been released from custody with a Licence condition which includes a stay of residency at an Approved Premise. The Approved Premises provide an additional level of supervision for offenders, which includes a strict overnight curfew. Other staff not working directly with offenders are employed in key supporting roles such as Performance and Quality Assurance, Information Technology, various administrative functions, Finance, Human Resources/Staff Development, Communications and Health and Safety. The Area works also closely with victims of sexual or violent offences, where the offender is sentenced to 12 months or more, through specialist staff in its dedicated Victim Liaison Unit.

Probation staff deliver a number of accredited programmes across the county which offenders can be required to attend as part of their Court sentence. These include the Sex Offender Group Programme and Community Domestic Violence Programme.

The Cheshire Probation Area works closely with other statutory and voluntary bodies as well as its partner criminal justice agencies as a member of the Cheshire Criminal Justice Board. The Probation Service is also one of three key agencies responsible for the management of the more dangerous offenders (the other two being the Police and the Prison Service). This is achieved by the introduction of a statutory arrangement of Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) in 2001 which in addition to the three key responsible agencies, also calls upon other community agencies (eg. Youth Offending Teams, Housing Services, Health Trusts, etc.) to manage high risk offenders.

The Cheshire Probation Area values its staff and has Investor in People status. The Area is positively committed to diversity by holding the Two Ticks disability symbol. This means that it actively encourages the recruitment of disabled persons and offers support to existing staff who become disabled, to enable them to remain in employment.

Cheshire Probation Area has a target of no more than 9 days' absence per employee per annum. Prior to any appointment being confirmed applicants will, therefore, be required to demonstrate that this can be reasonably achieved by them, detailing their absence record including dates and reasons for each period of absence over the last two years. This information may be used to make a managerial decision whether Cheshire Probation Area should continue to consider the application. Further information may be sought, which may include an occupational health referral. Absences related to a one-off medical complaint now resolved e.g. surgery or pregnancy related illness will be disregarded in this assessment. Absence due to disability will be given particular attention to ensure that all reasonable adjustments are made.

For more information about the Cheshire Probation Area, visit our website: www.cheshireprobation.org.uk

CUMBRIA

Cumbria is a relatively small Probation Area with a total annual budget of around £7 million and a full time equivalent staff of some 170. However, geographically the county is one of the biggest in England and Wales covering 2,600 square miles. Travelling is a constant feature of working in the county and for the offenders who are supervised. Trainee Probation Officers will need to travel significant distances on a regular basis during the course of their training. Although mainly rural, the county contains areas of high deprivation.

The Area is playing an important part in the development of integrated offender management, which will underpin the work of the National Offender Management Service. As a Pathfinder Area we are progressively adapting systems and approaches to work as more is learned about best practice. Accordingly, the structure of the Area has changed to incorporate a distinct role of offender management. This role concentrates on managing the packages of interventions that each offender receives, both from current Probation staff and those from other organisations. In addition, there are operations within Haverigg Prison and the Bowling Green Approved Premises in Carlisle. The Area is supported by corporate services functions based at Headquarters in Wetheral.

There are Probation offices in Carlisle, Penrith, Whitehaven, Workington, Maryport, Kendal and Barrow and also Probation staff based at HM Prison Haverigg, a Category C Prison. Cumbria's Approved Premises is based in Carlisle and provides accommodation for up to 24 residents, both men and women.

There are three centres in the county where accredited programmes are provided situated in Carlisle, Barrow-in-Furness and West Cumbria. Programmes focus on general offending behaviour, drug and alcohol misuse, domestic violence and sex offending.

Cumbria Probation Area works closely with other statutory and voluntary organisations within the county, enjoying good relationships with both. The Area has well established arrangements with the Police for the assessment and management of sex offenders and violent offenders to improve Public Protection and is a pilot area for lay membership of Strategic Public Protection Panels.

Cumbria Probation Area has a target of no more than 9 days' absence per employee per annum. Prior to any appointment being confirmed applicants will, therefore, be required to demonstrate that this can be reasonably achieved by them, detailing their absence record including dates and reasons for each period of absence over the last two years. This information may be used to make a managerial decision whether Cumbria Probation Area should continue to consider the application. Further information may be sought, which may include an occupational health referral. Absences related to a one-off medical complaint now resolved eg surgery or pregnancy related illness will be disregarded in this assessment. Absence due to disability will be given particular attention to ensure that all reasonable adjustments are made.

GREATER MANCHESTER

Greater Manchester is one of the largest Probation Areas in the country employing in the region of 1500 staff of all grades. GMPA has recently implemented the National Offender Management Model. One of the features of this model is a clear delineation between offender management service delivery and the delivery of interventions. These two areas of work are managed by two separate Directorates. The area is divided into nine geographical districts, each having a District Manager who is supported by a District Administration Manager, Office Managers and Senior Probation Officers to manage a staff group of Probation Officers, Probation Service Officers and Case Administrators. In addition, there are a number of Area Managers who have responsibility for managing such interventions as Unpaid Work, Accredited Programmes and Approved Premises (Hostels).

There are seven Approved Premises within Greater Manchester which provide high quality intervention with those on bail, on Court Orders and serious offenders being released from custody on license.
The area contains four prison establishments. Another feature of the National Offender Management Model is to ensure that the Prison Service and the National Probation Service work much more closely together under the 'umbrella' of the National Offender Management Service, to ensure that we achieve seamless 'end to end' offender management for offenders sentenced to custody.

Greater Manchester has embraced the "What Works" principles of effective practice and seeks to instil in its staff a commitment to planned, purposeful work with offenders, to achieve the objectives of reducing the likelihood of reoffending and of harm to the public. The work is well supported by integrated information technology systems that underpin the case management, evaluation and monitoring of all our work.

There is a commitment to the continuous improvement of pre sentence report compilation and key assessment processes underpinned by nationally approved assessment tools. Greater Manchester has always had a vigorous groupwork programme to offer to offenders and Courts and is forging ahead in the implementation of nationally accredited group work programmes such as, Think First (general behaviour programme), ASRO (addressing substance related offending) and DIDS (drink impaired drivers). High quality and specialist intervention with Sex Offenders and Domestic Violence Perpetrators has also been a key feature in our work in protecting the public and promoting public confidence.

Greater Manchester offers a wide variety of different communities in which to work. The service places great importance on valuing diversity in terms of recruiting and supporting staff and also in respecting the needs of different offenders and ensuring equality of opportunity. It is a policy that permeates all our practice and will have great importance on your training programme.

Trainee Probation Officers will be placed in one district to gain their practice experience over the course of the trainee programme and will work with Court, Community Orders and Custody Cases, which are the three main areas of functional responsibility for PO's in field work. Trainees will also have opportunity to work alongside prison or hostel staff and colleagues in Unpaid Work teams. Greater Manchester works closely with a great many other organisations, both voluntary and statutory, in order to reduce crime and indeed the fear of crime in local neighbourhoods. Our work with the Police, employment, housing, alcohol, drugs and mental health agencies in particular are at the very heart of Greater Manchester's work with offenders.

As part of the academic component of the TPO Programme which is provided by Portsmouth University, there is a requirement for all trainee probation officers to attend a week long Study School at Portsmouth in February of each of the two years. Costs are met by the probation service. Greater Manchester Probation Area expects all the trainees to attend Study Schools. If you know that there are issues that may cause you difficulty with attendance at Study School, these will need to be discussed in confidence with the TPO Line Manager.

Greater Manchester's Chief Officer, John Crawforth, his two Directors, four Assistant Chief Officers and all of the management team, based at the headquarters at Oakland House, are committed to the provision of excellent leaning opportunities for all the trainees based in Greater Manchester knowing, as they do, that they will help form the future of our service.

Greater Manchester Probation Area has a target of no more than 9 days' absence per employee per annum. Prior to any appointment being confirmed applicants will, therefore, be required to demonstrate that this can be reasonably achieved by them, detailing their absence record including dates and reasons for each period of absence over the last two years. This information may be used to make a managerial decision whether Greater Manchester Probation Area should continue to consider the application. Further information may be sought, which may include an occupational health referral. Absences related to a one-off medical complaint now resolved eg surgery or pregnancy related illness will be disregarded in this assessment. Absence due to disability will be given particular attention to ensure that all reasonable adjustments are made.

We look forward to working with you.

LANCASHIRE

Lancashire is one of 42 Areas of the National Probation Service for England and Wales, which is within the overall structure of the National Offender Management Service. Lancashire Area Probation Service is led by Area Chief Officer Bob Mathers and the Lancashire Probation Board. Our Area focus is on local delivery of services relevant to the needs and concerns of all sections of our diverse county; we serve a total population of 1.5 million.

We work to the National Probation Service aims and objectives namely:

" Contributing to building an excellent National Offender Management Service
" Protecting the public from harm
" Implementing the Criminal Justice Act 2003,
" Implementing the National Reducing Re-offending Action Plan
" Ensuring offenders' awareness of the effects of crime on victims of crime and the public
" Embedding Equality and Diversity in the Service

Our responsibilities in delivering our services locally are to:

" Provide information to the courts to enable sentencing and remand decisions
" Supervise and enforce court orders and prison licences
" Rehabilitate offenders
" Contribute to community safety in all 14 Lancashire districts
" Contact victims of serious crimes and uphold victims' interests

We work collaboratively with the other criminal justice services and with the Lancashire Criminal Justice Board and in partnerships with a broad range of public, voluntary and private agencies - all contributing towards achieving shared aims of reducing crime and re-offending and promoting community safety.

The Area works with offenders from across the whole geographical area, aiming to provide a fair and equitable service that meets individual needs. Lancashire has a varied cultural and ethnic mix. Geographically, Lancashire comprises of 2,000 square miles including 124 miles of coastline, large rural areas and the conurbations of Blackburn, Blackpool, Preston, Burnley, Central Lancashire and Skelmersdale. The population totals nearly 1.5 million, of which ethnic minorities form 7.1%. We supervise over 6,500 offenders at any given time.

Lancashire Probation Area has a target of no more than 9 days' absence per employee per annum. Prior to any appointment being confirmed applicants will, therefore, be required to demonstrate that this can be reasonably achieved by them, detailing their absence record including dates and reasons for each period of absence over the last two years. This information may be used to make a managerial decision whether Lancashire Probation Area should continue to consider the application. Further information may be sought, which may include an occupational health referral. Absences related to a one-off medical complaint now resolved eg surgery or pregnancy related illness will be disregarded in this assessment. Absence due to disability will be given particular attention to ensure that all reasonable adjustments are made.

For more information about the work of the Lancashire Probation Area, visit our website: www.probation-lancashire.org.uk

MERSEYSIDE

Merseyside Probation Area (MPA) is the fifth largest probation area in the country, serving a population of around 1.5 million. Probation staff operate in over 30 locations, including three local prisons and four approved premises.

MPA has built an excellent reputation in recent years, and is well placed to make its contribution to delivering the objectives and key priorities set nationally, and in its Service Level Agreement with the Regional Offender Manager. Merseyside has played an important role in progressing the What Works Strategy, and has participated in a number of pilot phases. It is also at the forefront of the development of the offender management model.

In partnership with Merseyside Police, the Service has established an intensive supervision programme for prolific offenders in all its boroughs. Its Fresh Start Pre-Employment Programme was runner-up at the International Community Justice Awards in January 2000, and has continued to achieve a remarkable record of success in enabling offenders to prepare themselves for, and obtain work. A further international award was presented in 2004 to the area's Black Mentoring Scheme, providing support to black and minority ethnic offenders to help them complete their court orders. The scheme has continued to win national awards on an annual basis since then.

As an area, Merseyside comprises the City of Liverpool and the metropolitan boroughs of Knowsley, Sefton, St. Helens and Wirral. These include communities of severe deprivation and challenging social problems, which are the focus of concerted inter-agency co-operation which has received national recognition. It is an area with a wide diversity of communities, a rich cultural life, and areas of natural beauty and interest, and Liverpool is very proud of achieving the Capital of Culture 2008 Award.

Merseyside Probation Area is structured around key functions for the assessment and effective supervision of offenders. The divisions are: Court Services, Community Offender Management, Unpaid Work, the Management of Probation and Bail Hostels, Resettlement Offender Management, Offender Programmes and the Drugs and Alcohol Division.

Merseyside Probation Area is an organisation committed to diversity and equality of opportunity for both its staff and service users, and has received national awards in this area. It provides an innovative training initiative in valuing diversity for the 750 staff it employs, and provides the following support and advisory groups: Black Staff Group, a Women's Group and a Disability Group, all of which represent the interests of staff and service users at the highest level.

As an Investors in People organisation, MPA strives to recognise and value its staff, and give opportunity and encouragement to develop the potential of individuals. In 2006, as a result of continuous improvements in the area's commitment to the EFQM Excellence Model, the area was a finalist in the North of England Business Excellence Awards.
The area has a race equality scheme and a disability equality scheme, and is successful in providing personal support and coaching for minority ethnic probation staff who aim for promotion. The arrangements for supporting the induction and development of Trainee Probation Officers have been carefully designed, implemented, and reviewed, and have been positively endorsed by all those who have completed their traineeship in recent years.

In 2006/7 MPA's innovative approach resulted in four national Butler Trust Awards and two national Criminal Justice Awards. The area has also played a major role in the implementation of the country's first Community Justice Centre, and continues to participate as a key player in its day-to-day operation.

Appointment as a Trainee Probation Officer in Merseyside is the gateway to an exciting career in which you can make a valuable contribution to reducing offending and ensuring a safer community for all.

Merseyside Probation Area has a target of no more than 9 days' absence per employee per annum. Prior to any appointment being confirmed applicants will, therefore, be required to demonstrate that this can be reasonably achieved by them, detailing their absence record including dates and reasons for each period of absence over the last two years. This information may be used to make a managerial decision whether Merseyside Probation Area should continue to consider the application. Further information may be sought, which may include an occupational health referral. Absences related to a one-off medical complaint now resolved eg surgery or pregnancy related illness will be disregarded in this assessment. Absence due to disability will be given particular attention to ensure that all reasonable adjustments are made."

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