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“Good standard of service” found at Stonnall Approved Premises, rated ‘Good’ following inspection 

Published:

Stonnall Road Approved Premises (AP) in Walsall has received an overall rating of ‘Good’ following an inspection by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation.

Chief Inspector of Probation, Martin Jones, said: “Stonnall Road is delivering a good standard of service. There is a clear focus on rehabilitation, and the staff and managers have cultivated a respectful, inclusive environment where residents are supported to resettle into the community.” 

The report praises the leadership culture at Stonnall Road and notes that staff were valued and worked collaboratively to build constructive relationships with residents. Links with partnership agencies were also effective. 

Inspectors found that not all staff had completed essential training in key areas such as safeguarding, and safety and support planning, which contributed to some weaknesses identified in practice. Quality assurance and management oversight were not yet fully developed, which was limiting the service’s ability to identify and address these issues consistently. 

Mr Jones continued, “Overall, we found a number of strengths at Stonnall Road. Building on these solid foundations will help to support more consistent and effective delivery, especially in relation to risk management and public protection.” 

The Inspectorate’s report makes eight recommendations to the Stonnall Road leadership team, including to strengthen management oversight of casework to ensure that risks, including safeguarding concerns, are consistently identified.  

ENDS  

Notes to editor  

  1. Approved Premises (APs) are residential units which provide temporary placements in the community for high-risk and complex people on probation. They offer enhanced supervision and rehabilitative support to individuals following release from prison. 
  1. At the time of our inspection in May 2026, Stonnall Road had 12 residents in placement.  
  1. The Inspectorate uses a four-point scale: ‘Outstanding’, ‘Good’, ‘Requires improvement’ and ‘Inadequate’, rating specific aspects of each service (for APs – leadership, staffing, safety, public protection, and rehabilitation) and giving an overall rating. 
  1. The report is available on the HM Inspectorate of Probation website on 08 July 2026 at 00.01. 
  1. HM Inspectorate of Probation is the independent inspector of youth justice and probation services across England and Wales.  
  1. For media enquiries, please contact Head of Communications: media@hmiprobation.gov.uk