Approved Premises (APs) are residential units providing a temporary placement in the community for high-risk and complex offenders and offering enhanced supervision and rehabilitative support to individuals following their release from prison.
They have two main roles: to help rehabilitate and resettle some of the most serious offenders and to make sure that the public are protected during an individual’s early months in the community.
Approved Premises inspection programme
After our core inspection of probation delivery units uncovered concerns in the delivery of work to protect the public, we worked to develop an inspection programme for APs, providing independent oversight of the arrangements for managing those individuals who pose a higher risk of serious harm.
Our focus through these inspections is on how well APs protect the public and promote rehabilitation. We will look at whether they do so in an environment that is safe, governed and led effectively and staffed by people who are skilled, motivated, and supported to do a good job.
Fieldwork for our Approved Premises programme started in July 2025, with the first report due for publication in September 2025.