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Chief Inspector of Probation flags concerns in first public protection inspection

Published:

HM Inspectorate of Probation has undertaken a review of public protection measures [see notes to editor] across the Kent, Surrey, and Sussex region of the Probation Service. Concerningly, it found work to keep people safe had improved since our last inspection, but still met the required standard in less than half of cases for ‘assessment’ and ‘implementation and delivery’.

Martin Jones, Chief Inspector of Probation, said: “A primary concern was the lack of quality information sharing around the potential risks posed by people on probation, with probation and police colleagues continuing to highlight the challenges facing both organisations in balancing public protection with proportionate, and compliant, information sharing. This was a long-standing issue which continues to undermine the region’s ability to fully understand the risk posed by those they supervise and keep the public safe.”

Context

  • This report is the first to be published from HM Inspectorate of Probation’s new Dynamic Inspection of Public Protection programme.
  • It focused specifically on public protection work being delivered across the Kent, Surrey, and Sussex region of the Probation Service.
  • Fifty-six cases were inspected where the Inspectorate examined assessment, planning, implementation and delivery, and reviewing, all through the lens of public protection work.
  • At the time of the inspection (November 2025) the region was implementing several national policies aimed at managing workloads across the prison and probation estates, including prison early release schemes, Probation Reset, Impact and changes to recall policy.
  • At the time this inspection was announced (October 2025), the region was operating with just under two-thirds of the target staffing for probation officers, reflective of the longstanding staffing challenges for the region linked to proximity to London, high costs of living and high numbers of PQiP (professional qualification in probation) withdrawals.

Findings

  • Case inspections highlighted that for both assessment and implementation and delivery, less than half of the cases met the required standard to keep people safe. Planning and reviewing met the required standard in just over half of cases.
  • While sufficient work to keep people safe was not evident in enough of the cases inspected, this report’s results do indicate an upward trajectory in the KSS region since the Inspectorate’s May 2024 regional inspection.
  • In particular, organisational delivery demonstrated notable improvement in public protection work than had been evident in previous inspections.
  • Large scale change and responses to prison overpopulation as well as delays in sentencing had a destabilising effect on people on probation which made public protection work in KSS more challenging.
  • Probation Reset arrangements were outside the region’s control, however they had a detrimental impact on public protection work. Regional leaders were implementing a model to transfer all reset cases to a dedicated hub, though this process was still being refined and audited.
  • Challenges faced in managing risk to the public were compounded by longstanding staffing challenges

Mr Jones added: “Despite ongoing challenges, we were encouraged to see the region had introduced a range of innovative strategies to optimise resources, including the use of technology and artificial intelligence, and was working to address training gaps to improve the quality of case management, despite limited resources.

While sufficient work to keep people safe was not evident in enough of the cases we inspected, we were encouraged to see strategic progress in strengthening public protection work, improved staff accountability and engagement, and a commitment to building a culture that supported learning and psychological safety.”

This report makes five recommendations. Two of these are for the KSS region, including to ensure probation service officers have sufficient skills, knowledge and experience to adequately assess, plan, work with and review risk of harm to others. Three recommendations are for HMPPS including to develop a national strategic approach to information sharing with police and children’s services.

Notes to editor

  1. Probation Delivery Units (PDUs) replaced Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) and the National Probation Service (NPS), which merged into a unified Probation Service in June 2021.
  2. HM Inspectorate’s Dynamic Inspection of Public Protection is a new programme which started in October 2025. The Inspectorate has paused its core adult programme to undertake six months of dynamic inspection activity, focussed solely on the Service’s delivery of public protection. It will inspect all twelve regions and inspections, then deliver follow-up activity with strategic leaders and managers to identify what can be done to support and guide regional leaders into improving work, increasing knowledge and confidence and providing a solid foundation for further improvement. 
  3. Kent, Surrey, and Sussex is one of 11 probation regions in England with a further region in Wales.
  4. The report is available on our website 29 January 2026.
  5. HM Inspectorate of Probation is the independent inspector of youth justice and probation services across England and Wales. We report on the effectiveness of probation and youth justice service work with adults and children. We highlight good and poor practice and use our data and information to encourage high-quality services. We are independent of government, and speak independently.
  6. The Inspectorate typically uses a four-point scale: ‘Outstanding’, ‘Good’, ‘Requires improvement’ and ‘Inadequate’ for inspections, however, has opted out of one-word ratings for this inspection programme.
  7. For media enquiries, please contact Louise Cordell, Head of Communications
    07523 805224 / media@hmiprobation.gov.uk.