Understanding and learning from the impact of COVID-19 on probation’s work to improve the health of people under its supervision

PROJECT TITLE	UNDERSTANDING AND LEARNING FROM THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON PROBATION’S WORK TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF PEOPLE UNDER ITS SUPERVISION
Funding body	This research is funded by the Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC), as part of UK Research & Innovation’s rapid response to Covid-19.
Total funding	£58,695
Team	Dr Coral Sirdifield, CaHRU, University of Lincoln Dr Helen Nichols, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Lincoln Imogen Schartau, Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service Dr Philip Mullen, Revolving Doors Agency Peer researchers with lived experience of the criminal justice system, Revolving Doors Agency
Team/consortium	University of Lincoln Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service Revolving Doors Agency
Overarching aim	To directly inform future policy and practice from staff and service user perspectives through the following objectives:
Objectives	Provide insight into the nature and impact of the Covid-19 responses on a) health-related probation practice, b) the lived experience of accessing support for health issues whilst under probation supervision and c) partnership working and pathways into care Increase understanding of how to minimise negative consequences of change Identify beneficial practice innovations to support health improvement in people under probation supervision
Methods	This will be a mixed-methods study combining probation staff survey data that probation is already planning to collect, with primary data from service user interviews and follow-up calls with staff via email or telephone/other digital media (e.g. Skype). All project partners will participate in a workshop where preliminary findings will be shared, and participants will be able to discuss the accuracy of interpretation of the data, feasibility of recommendations, where models may need refinement, and where additional detail may be needed.
Outcomes	We will produce a final report including: Conceptual maps of the impact of the responses to the pandemic on from both staff and service user perspectives Recommendations on how to avoid negative consequences of change, and spread and sustain beneficial innovations in future policy and practice (drawing on implementation science literature)
Outputs	Peer reviewed publications and conference presentations
Impact	We anticipate that forward planning in organisations across the health and justice field could be influenced by the findings of this research. Our co-design approach means that we anticipate that the findings will directly influence recovery planning within Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, the ongoing development of Community Sentence Treatment Requirements, and the final model for NHS England’s RECONNECT service.

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