EUKN - United Kingdom - Basic skills for offenders in the community

Basic skills for offenders in the community

Introduction

Reports the findings of a review of literacy and numeracy provision for offenders in the community.

Description

Outlines the scope of the review, which covered seventeen probation areas in England and Wales and looked at both sub-contracted and National Probation Service provision. Summarises the main findings in relation to:

management of services;
basic skills policy;
targets;
skills assessment;
referral processes;
information sharing;
quality issues;
partnership working;
integration with other programmes; and
funding.

Makes recommendations to improve service provision and strategic planning. Includes three examples of innovation in basic skills provision.

Background information

In November 2003, the Home Office commissioned the Adult Learning Inspectorate to review the Probation Service’s arrangements for basic skills provision in England and Wales. Targets for the achievement of basic skills qualifications had been set for each probation area, in response to the Government’s Skills for Life agenda. The review was intended to:

identify the main barriers to successful provision;
to identify areas of good practice;
to highlight the potential for change in working practices or infrastructure;
and to recommend improvements.

Methodology

Inspectors visited 15 probation areas in England and two in Wales. Inspectors evaluated:

provision wholly funded by the National Probation Service (NPS) and delivered by probation staff;
provision offered by subcontracted providers from the private, voluntary and public sectors;
the NPS funding arrangements specifically for offenders; and
the funding arrangements for mainstream community programmes funded by local Learning and Skills Councils, the European Social Fund or Jobcentre Plus.

Conclusions

Some areas of the Probation Service have been creative by establishing practices that form a sound basis for success. Some have achieved promising results in terms of the basic skills qualifications gained by offenders. However, most areas have so far failed to get to grips with the complexities of establishing and managing successful provision.

Contact info

Adult Learning Inspectorate
Phone: +44 247 671 6600

Publication date

01/01/2004

Project finished

Researcher

Adult Learning Inspectorate

Links

Adult Learning Inspectorate

Basic skills for offenders in the community (PDF, Eng, 500KB)

Document type

research

Themes

Urban Policy > Security & crime prevention > Tackling crime

Keywords

Working with offenders