New Probation: Closer to the End of Social Work? (original) (raw)

British Journal of Social Work, 2001

Abstract

In April 2001, the Probation Service was reorganized into a centralized, national service, with a national director and chief officers appointed by the Home Secretary. The Service is now more clearly associated with other criminal justice agencies. Its most obviously social work related function, Family Court Welfare work, has been entirely removed from its control and given a new home in a 'Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service' under the Lord Chancellor's Department. These reforms have precipitated increased anxiety about political manipulation of the Service and, in a generally punitive criminal justice climate, heightened fears about the final disappearance of the 'traditional' caring and socially aware aspects of probation work. Such concerns are hardly new (see, for example, Millar and Buchanan, 1995). What appears different about the current administration's approach is its seduct iveness. It alternates between severe criticism and strong support, coupling the demand for a 'tough' Probation Service with a promise of resources for the 'right kind' of service. To assess the effectiveness of this approach and the validity of the fears outlined above, it would be useful to look at two of the most important devel opments over the last few years: the new training arrangements and the focus on accredited programmes. The Diploma in Social Work, abolished as a requirement for probation qualifica tion by Michael Howard, has been replaced by a new qualification integrating a level 4 National Vocational Qualification and an undergraduate degree. The new qualification has many positive features and is in my view a better preparation for probation practice. However, a major concern is its capacity to encourage the hol istic, properly contextualized understanding of offending which was the strength of social work training. Newly trained probation officers might know how to run a prescriptive, 'effective' programme, but will they understand it, critique it and thus be able to improve upon it? Will they have a good comprehension of wider relevant

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