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“Gaps in public protection practice” in Greater Manchester region of the Probation Service

Published:

HM Inspectorate of Probation has undertaken a review of public protection measures [see notes to editor] across the Greater Manchester region of the Probation Service.

Martin Jones, Chief Inspector of Probation, said: “Inspectors found public protection to be a central focus of the region. However, the work to keep people safe was not sufficient in enough of the cases inspected during this inspection. Several factors contributed towards gaps in public protection practice, including capacity and workload pressures, an inexperienced workforce, ineffective management oversight, and inconsistent systems for accessing and exchanging information with child social services.”

 Context

  • This report is the fourth 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 Greater Manchester region of the Probation Service.
  • Seventy-two cases were inspected where the Inspectorate examined assessment, planning, implementation and delivery, and reviewing, all through the lens of public protection work.
  • The Greater Manchester region of the Probation Service covers eight Probation Delivery Units (PDUs), Bolton, Bury & Rochdale, Manchester North, Manchester South, Oldham, Salford & Trafford, Stockport & Tameside, and Wigan.

Findings

  • Less than half of the cases inspected met the required standard to keep people safe in assessment and implementation and delivery of services.
  • Reviewing met the required standard in just over half of cases. The case findings were driven by insufficient analysis and reviewing of risk, inconsistent or ineffective multi-agency working, including information sharing, and a lack of meaningful delivery of interventions, either by probation practitioners or through other services, to address risks related to public protection.
  • However, work to keep people safe was not sufficient in enough of the cases inspected during this inspection. Quality public protection work was impacted by staffing inexperience and capacity challenges, which had been exacerbated by long vetting delays and change fatigue following large-scale national changes in response to the prison capacity crisis.

Mr Jones added: “I am encouraged to see many of the building blocks for improving works to keep people safe are in place in Greater Manchester, including a ‘whole system’ approach to public protection. I have no doubt the region can build on these results and continue to make improvements.”

This report makes six recommendations. Three are for the region, including to complete a learning needs analysis with probation service officers to understand their skills, confidence and knowledge to adequately assess, work with and review risk of harm to others. Three recommendations are for HM Prison and Probation Service, including to reduce vetting delays and address workforce instability by implementing streamlined and more regionally responsive recruitment processes.

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. The Greater Manchester region is one of 11 probation regions in England with a further region in Wales.
  4. The report is available on our website 19 February 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 (E-mail address)