Protecting the public and reducing offending are the sole tasks of The Probation Service. The Probation Service works closely with offenders and as such are often party to information about their whereabouts, which may impact upon the level of risk posed to children with whom that offender has contact.
When working with a member of a family where child abuse is known, or thought to have occurred, The Probation Service will:
Action
- liaise closely with Social Services and any other relevant agencies to protect the child; and
- attend child protection conferences.
When working within the prison system, probation officers will:
Action
- notify the Local Authority when an offender, convicted of an offence against a child, is about to be released and is planning to reside at an address in the Bristol area.
Where a Probation Officer undertakes supervision of a person convicted of an offence against children, they will:
Action
- pay vigilant attention to any possible risk of harm to children residing at the same address or nearby; and
- Ensure that the Local Authority is also aware of the situation by notifying details of the offender to the Child Protection Register.