Suffolk Probation Area is committed to the training and development of its staff and as a result has been granted the Investors in People award.
Training is organised nationally, regionally and locally. Currently there is work being undertaken nationally to re-design training for probation staff. This page will be updated as more information becomes available.
National Training
Training to become a qualified Probation Officer is prescribed at a national level in terms of the level and content of the qualification.
For the past 10 years the recognised qualification has been the Diploma in Probation Studies, which combines an Honours Degree in Criminal and Community Justice and an NVQ at Level 4 in Community Justice. The last cohort of trainees are about to be recruited to this programme and work is currently being undertaken to develop a new qualification structure. This will be finalised later in 2008 but is likely to deliver not only a qualification for Probation Officers, but also a certificated qualification structure for Probation Service Officers.
Regional Training
For some training we work with collaboratively with neighbouring probation areas and with the East of England Probation Training and Development Consortium. In particular the following training is managed on a regional basis:
- Management Training – including a Certificate in First Line Management
- An uncertificated training programme for Probation Service Officers – there are over 15 events including skills development, managing risk, introduction to the Criminal Justice System, victim perspectives, and substance abuse
- Training for staff delivering accredited groupwork and individual programmes
- Training skills
Area Training
Suffolk Probation Area produces an annual training plan, outlining the training priorities in the forthcoming year. A wide range of training is provided, which aims to meet organisational requirements as well as specific individual staff needs.
Training courses include:
- assessing and managing risk
- child protection
- equality and diversity
- motivational skills
- working with victims
- working with life sentence prisoners
- offender management
- first aid training
- health and safety at work training
- IT training
- skills training for administrative staff
- training for managers in Human Resource policies
- higher level management qualifications
National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs)
Suffolk Probation Area provides NVQs at Levels 3 and 4 in Criminal Justice and these awards are supported by our training programme.
Additionally we offer NVQs in administration to our support staff.
European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL)
Suffolk Probation Area is an accredited centre to deliver the ECDL and offer this opportunity to all grades of staff.
