Partnership work is planned to harness complimentary skills and resources which can provide an efficient and effective way of supporting the service we provide to the courts, victims, community and the offender. To be effective the Probation Service needs to work in partnership with other criminal justice agencies, crime and disorder partnerships, and other agencies serving the Gloucestershire community. In addition, the Probation Service provides funding for a small number of partnerships.

Suitable housing for offenders is a critical factor in reducing offending, protecting the public from serious harm and improving community safety - the need to secure appropriate offender accommodation is an important element in the effective supervision of offenders. 

The Gloucestershire Probation Service (GPA) is represented on all housing related committees throughout the County, and works with other organisations statutory and voluntary to highlight housing need. 

GPA employs an Accommodation Placement Officer (APO) taking referrals direct from Case Managers.  Individuals under  statutory supervision to GPA will be offered assistance, which may include :- referral to supported housing projects, Probation Approved Premises, emergency accommodation, homelessness prevention advice or linking in with private housing providers. The APO prioritises work on those offenders who pose a high risk of serious harm and  housing options are considered well in advance of release.

Supporting People  is the Government's long-term policy to enable local authorities to plan, commission and provide housing related support services which help vulnerable people to live independently.  The Commissioning Body is a partnership of local Housing, Social Services, Probation and Health, and these organisations play a key role in advising and approving the Supporting People strategic approach.  The Gloucestershire Supporting People strategy is directly linked to Community planning/development at both County and District level, and is needs led.

The National Probation Service - Gloucestershire has worked over a number of years in partnership  with supported housing providers funded by the Supporting People grant  i.e. Stonham Housing Association, English Churches, Gloucester Youth Housing Association.   These organisations provide offenders, amongst other groups, of vulnerable and deprived people with  housing related support, and play a significant roll in supporting offenders' reintegration into the community.

There are three elements to the work of the ETE team:

To motivate offenders to address their basic skills needs and therefore improve their employability

To improve the skills of offenders to find and keep work

To deliver effective guidance so that offenders can progress into appropriate education, training and employment

The ETE team have developed effective partnerships with two key organisations:

Further Education colleges - who come on to Probation premises to deliver basic skills classes to offenders.

Next Step - the LSC funded adult guidance provider who are tasked to develop Gloucestershire adult guidance network.  GPA work in partnership with Next    Step and therefore access training and resources for for the effective delivery of adult guidance.

Children's Society - which provides placements for offenders on Community Punishment Orders that support the work of this charity.

Gloucestershire Domestic Violence Support and Advocacy Project / Gloucestershire Domestic Violence Intervention Project - which provide services related to domestic violence cases including working with the victims of domestic whilst the Probation Service works with the perpetrators.

Volunteers - to provide childcare facilities that enable offenders with childcare responsibilities to comply with court orders.

Forensic Psychology Services - to support our work with sex offenders and other serious offenders including assisting in our work in delivering accredited programmes.

Gloucestershire Drugs and Alcohol Service - which provides specialist services to offenders with drug and alcohol related problems.