Probation Officers

A probation practitioner supervises and supports some people in the community. They may help you understand the requirements that apply to you, manage risks and get support from other services.

For the different supervision arrangements, read the probation overview.

You may also hear the terms offender manager, responsible officer or supervising officer. These can describe the person responsible for managing your supervision.

This guide provides general information, not legal advice. Your court order, licence and other written documents explain what applies to you.

Meetings, home visits and contact

Your practitioner will tell you when, where and how to attend appointments. Meetings may take place at a probation office, at home, by phone, by video or at another agreed location. This depends on your circumstances, risk assessment and local arrangements.

Home visits are part of probation practice in some cases. They do not give a practitioner a general power to enter your home whenever they want.

See GOV.UK: Home Visits Policy Framework.

If you cannot attend an appointment

Contact your probation practitioner as soon as possible using the details on your appointment letter, sentence plan or licence. Do not wait until the next appointment.

Explain why you cannot attend and provide evidence if you are asked to, such as a doctor’s letter or employer’s letter. Tell probation early if illness, disability, caring responsibilities, transport, work, faith or another issue affects your ability to comply.

Do not simply stop attending. Your requirements still apply unless probation or the court changes them.

See GOV.UK: meetings with your offender manager.

If you need help to take part

Tell probation as early as possible if a disability, mental health condition, learning difficulty, neurodivergence, language need, mobility issue, sensory impairment, literacy difficulty or caring responsibility affects your ability to meet a requirement.

Ask what adjustment or support may be available. Your requirements still apply unless probation or the court changes them, so do not simply stop attending.

The reasonable adjustment duty is found in Equality Act 2010, section 20.

Your court order, licence and sentence plan

Your court order or licence is legally important. It states the requirements or conditions you must follow.

Your sentence plan helps organise supervision, support and risk management work. It does not replace your court order or licence.

Read your documents carefully. Ask your practitioner to explain anything you do not understand, including:

What a probation practitioner does

A probation practitioner may:

They do not decide guilt or sentence. A court makes decisions about court orders and their enforcement. The legal decision maker for a licence condition, recall or release issue may be different.

See GOV.UK: the Probation Service and GOV.UK: guide to probation.

Is what I tell probation confidential?

Probation information is not completely private. Your practitioner may collect, record and share relevant information with agencies involved in supervision, safeguarding, sentence delivery and public protection.

They must follow data protection rules and share information only where there is a lawful reason to do so. If you are unsure why information is being requested or shared, ask your practitioner to explain.

You can ask to see personal information held about you through a subject access request. See the HMPPS probation privacy notice and HMPPS Information Sharing Policy Framework.

If probation says you have not complied

The response depends on why you are supervised.

Tell your practitioner immediately if you disagree with what is alleged or if there is a reason you could not comply. Get legal advice quickly if you receive court breach papers or recall paperwork.

See GOV.UK: if you break the rules of your probation, Sentencing Council: breach of a community order and Criminal Justice Act 2003, section 254.

Can I ask for a different practitioner?

You can ask for your case to be allocated to a different practitioner. A manager will consider the reasons you give, service needs and any safety, communication or practical issues. A change is not automatic.

Explain clearly why you are asking and what outcome would help. For example, you may need an adjustment because of disability, a safer way to communicate, or help resolving a serious working relationship problem.

Information for victims

The Victim Contact Scheme is separate from offender supervision. Eligible victims of specified serious violent or sexual offences may be offered contact with a Victim Liaison Officer.

A Victim Liaison Officer can explain sentence changes, parole and release processes, and pass on requests for protective licence conditions. They cannot promise a particular release decision or licence condition.

See GOV.UK: guide to parole for victims of crime.

If you are unhappy with probation

Raise the issue with your probation practitioner, their manager or the local probation office first, if you feel able to do so. Explain what happened, when it happened and what outcome you want.

Ask the office for the current formal complaints route and for any help you need to make a complaint. A complaint about service is different from challenging a court order, licence condition, recall or sentence. Get legal advice promptly if a legal deadline or urgent safety concern is involved.

See GOV.UK: Probation Service complaints procedure.

Key points to remember

What has changed?

This updated guide explains the role of probation practitioners more clearly and distinguishes court order requirements from licence conditions. It adds information about appointments, home visits, information sharing, confidentiality, adjustments, breach action, recall, changing practitioner, victim liaison and complaints.

Official sources

This guide provides general information, not legal advice. Get advice from a qualified criminal or prison-law solicitor about your own court order, licence, breach or recall.