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Parole Board Member Recruitment
Applies to England and Wales
Work with us
Psychologist Member recruitment campaign 2024 - Open
Thank you for showing your interest in becoming a Parole Board member. We recruit members from all backgrounds with specialist skills and knowledge, from judges, psychologists, police and many more. If you wish to register your interest please complete this form
Please see below for any live recruitment campaigns, and further information about becoming a member.
The key task of all members of the Parole Board is to make rigorous, fair and timely risk assessments about individual cases which have the primary aim of protecting the public and which contribute to the rehabilitation of offenders where appropriate.
As well as bringing your professional experience, you will be expected to take a full and active part in all aspects of the panel’s decision making. As a psychologist member of the Board you are expected to chair oral hearings within your second term of appointment. This campaign is open to those who live in all regions of the UK and Northern Ireland. The role is home based, including some hearings undertaken during the working day in HMP establishments across England & Wales.
Live campaign for Psychologist Members – closes 11am on 10 December 2024.
Am I eligible to be a Psychologist Member?
Psychologist Members must:
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Be registered as a practitioner psychologist with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC);
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Have forensic experience of the Criminal Justice Service, Forensic Mental Health Services or other relevant service; and
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Have knowledge, understanding and experience in the application of forensic risk assessment;
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Have Training in at least one Structured Professional Judgement Tool; and
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Have no outstanding fitness to practice matters.
This is a senior level position where it is expected individuals will use their knowledge of psychology, risk assessment tools and risk management skills, to work independently and in consultation with other Parole Board colleagues in deciding if an offender should receive parole.
There must be no employment restrictions, or limit on your permitted stay in the UK. Applications are welcome from anyone aged 18 or over. There are circumstances in which an individual will not be considered for appointment. They include:
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People who have received a prison sentence or suspended prison sentence of three months or more in the last five years;
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People with ongoing and/or outstanding professional conduct or fitness to practice matters and/or those who have had their employment terminated for conduct or criminal offence reasons.
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Current operational employees within the prison service.
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Elected office holders, in which their involvement in any outside activity might be seen to cast doubt on their impartiality or conflict with their appointment to the Board. This would include political activity and or nomination or adoption as a prospective candidate for election;
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Those who have had their appointment terminated under the agreed protocol for termination of membership of the Parole Board.
How to apply to be a Psychologist Member?
Please follow this link to apply:
Upcoming campaigns
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Judicial Member Recruitment Campaign – expected in January 2025
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Psychiatrist Member Recruitment Campaign – expected February 2025
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We do not currently have plans to recruit Independent Members yet.
-You can express an interest for future campaigns by completing this form
What does the work involve?
What skills do you use as a Parole Board Member?]
Fiona Ainsworth, Psychologist Member of the Parole Board:
“ I value the friendships I have formed with my colleagues, it is an intense job with an incredible amount of responsibility, each of us having our own expertise; we all have equal weight in making the decision, which makes the whole experience very bonding – particularly when it is a difficult decision. I have learnt so much from my colleagues, and I love that we all come from such different backgrounds (from judges, lawyers, police officers, probation officers to non-criminal justice backgrounds) whatever someone’s experience, as a group we compliment each other and are open to learning from each other.”
Read more of Fiona’s blog at Annex A below.
As a Psychologist Member of the Parole Board for England & Wales you will:
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Analyse and critically evaluate information to identify continuing risks in parole cases referred by the Secretary of State, where information may come from a variety of sources including electronic dossiers and evidence given at oral hearings.
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Apply psychological knowledge, skills of assessment and management of risk/dangerousness in offender populations and professional judgement to parole cases to decide whether a prisoner can safely be released into the community; to set licence conditions where release is appropriate; and, in relevant cases, to decide whether to recommend a prisoner is transferred to open conditions.
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Be proactive to identify and resolve issues in all allocated cases at the earliest opportunity, applying the current relevant law, procedure and guidance. Seek advice from subject experts within the Board, including specialist members, and legal and practice advisors. Be proactive to manage case administration that arises both as a Chair and co-panellist. This will require regular email monitoring during the working week.
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Assess parole cases on referral to conclude on the papers or set directions for effective case management of those to be considered at an oral hearing.
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Take an active part in oral hearings ensuring all areas of risk are identified and addressed by the panel, witnesses are questioned appropriately to inform the panel’s assessment of risk, and there is a full panel discussion of a case to properly weigh the evidence.
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Advise panels by clarifying specific psychological issues in a case that are relevant to risk.
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Advise panels about psychological reports including qualifications and experience of author, specific assessment tools used, overall quality of assessment and conclusions drawn.
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Advise panels when two or more differing psychology opinions exist.
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Work collaboratively with other panel members to make judgements about the available evidence and to provide structured written reasons for the panel’s decision or recommendation in every case.
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Use Parole Board IT effectively to access electronic dossiers, draft reasons for panel outcomes, communicate with the panel and colleagues and to undertake learning and development activity.
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Complete all mandatory continuing professional development in line with Parole Board policy. Take responsibility for personal development by accessing materials and opportunities provided by the Board to remain up to date with current law, procedure, guidance and developments. Reflect individually and collectively on experiences and practice.
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Achieve accreditation and maintain an active mixed portfolio of casework including paper panels (MCA), oral hearings, duty cases and chairing. You will train as a Chair in year 7 and Oral hearing chair accreditation is required within the second term of your appointment (year 10 of appointment).
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Work will be allocated based first on the business needs of the Parole Board and then on the availability provided by members and their accreditations.
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Be an effective ambassador whenever representing the Parole Board. Contribute positively to the effective running of the organisation through non-casework activity including mentoring, quality assurance, governance, training and participation in consultation, working groups and development roles.
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Travel in line with Parole Board policy to attend oral hearings in prisons throughout England and Wales. Also travel to the London office and other venues to attend Parole Board events, including training. Occasional overnight stays may be required, and expenses will be reimbursed in accordance to the prevailing policy.
What does the Parole Board do?
The Parole Board works to protect the public by risk assessing prisoners to decide whether they can safely be released into the community. It sits as a court and makes risk assessments which are rigorous, fair and timely, based on information supplied by the prisoner, the prison and probation service and other expert witnesses.
Parole Board decisions are solely focused on whether a prisoner would represent a significant risk to the public after release. The risk assessment is based on detailed evidence found in the dossier (a collection of documents relating to the prisoner) and evidence provided at the oral hearing.
The Parole Board is responsible for considering parole reviews for prisoners serving indeterminate sentences – sometimes called ‘life’ sentences – where the sentence has no end date.
It also considers certain types of determinate sentence cases - where there is an end to the sentence – and some prisoners who have been sent back, or ‘recalled’, to prison.
To be eligible for parole, a prisoner will have served the minimum ‘tariff’, or punishment part of their sentence, set by the courts. Prisoners eligible for parole are only released into the community if the Parole Board decides it is safe to do so.
An offender released on a parole licence continues to serve the rest of their sentence in the community while being supervised by the Probation Service. This is known as ‘release on licence’ or parole.
Inclusion & Diversity Commitment
The Parole Board is committed to inclusion and diversity. We encourage applications from all candidates regardless of ethnicity, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability or gender identity.
We are seeking to improve the diversity of the Parole Board membership and always welcome applications from people with black and minority ethnic backgrounds, as well as Welsh speakers.
We invite organisations, charities and individuals to contact workwithus@paroleboard.gov.uk to share their ideas and expertise for how we can continue to work to improve the Parole Board’s diversity in future recruitment campaigns.
Can I apply to be a judicial member?
Campaign expected to open in January 2025
Our previous eligibility criteria for judicial members has been:
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A retired High Court Judge;
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A retired Senior Circuit Judge; or
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A Circuit Judge, who retired in the three years preceding the closing date for applications or is currently serving and will be retired by the date of the initial induction training.
If you sit as a part-time judge, tribunal judge, magistrate, or any other judicial role that isn’t mentioned above, you can apply to be an independent member.
Can I apply to be a psychiatrist member?
Campaign expected to open in February 2025
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Our previous eligibility criteria for psychiatrist members has been:
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At least 5 years as a consultant psychiatrist in the UK
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Specialist registration as a medical practitioner with the General Medical Council
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A licence to practice is not required
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No outstanding fitness to practice matters
This is a senior level position where it is expected individuals will use their knowledge of psychiatry, risk assessment tools and risk management skills, to work independently and in consultation with other Parole Board colleagues in deciding if an offender should receive parole.
Terms of appointment
Tenure
- Members are appointed by the Secretary of State for a five-year term with the possibility of re-appointment at the discretion of Ministers. Any re-appointment is subject to recommendation by the Parole Board based on satisfactory performance appraisal and business need. An active portfolio of all aspects of casework, including chairing, will need to be evidenced. If re-appointed, members who are accredited and active chairs may serve in post for a maximum of 15 years subject to ministerial agreement.
Training
- Training is provided and is mandatory. Attendance at training, in person or online, is fee paid at the prevailing rate and contributes towards the minimum time commitment.
- Members are expected to become accredited to chair oral hearings at different stages of their tenure, depending on their membership type. Additional training for Chairing hearings will be provided.
- In addition to training required for accreditation, there is an expectation that members will participate in other continuing professional development activities organised by the Parole Board (expectation is 10 days per year will be set aside for training)
Standards in Public Life:
A full explanation of the principles can be found here
Public Appointments:
- The Commissioner for Public Appointments ensures that appointments are made in accordance with the Governance Code and the principles of public appointments. All appointments follow a recruitment process set out in the Governance Code for Public Appointments.
- You are also expected to adhere to the Code of Conduct for board members of public bodies.
Flexible working
-Members will be required to provide a minimum annual time commitment (see below) and will be supported with ongoing training and development. The work is part-time, flexible and can fit around other commitments. All work is undertaken digitally using secure laptops and equipment which we provide.
-The time commitment includes preparation time for panels, which can be undertaken at home and in the evenings, to fit in with your other responsibilities. You will also be required to attend prisons for oral hearings during office hours. This may be online or in person.
You will be asked for your availability three months in advance and will be allocated work within the days you choose. There is no guarantee of work. You may give more time if there is work available.
Minimum annual commitment
| Member type | Minimum annual time commitment |
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| Independent members | 115 days |
| Retired Judicial members | 69 days |
| Psychologist members | 35 days |
| Psychiatrist members | 35 days |
This time commitment includes oral hearings held at prisons (or via video-link), as well as paper hearings and preparation work, which can be carried out at home using secure laptops that we provide. Please note an additional 10 days should be set aside for training.
Members may be able to work more than the minimum commitment if there is work available. However, there is no guarantee of work.
Pay
The work is fee paid. Remuneration is subject to deduction of tax and National Insurance contributions at source. The role is non pensionable. Casework fees for Psychologist members range between £345 and £375 per day, depending on the role.
Expenses
Parole Board members are home-based. Hearings can take place in person, online (video) or by telephone. There is a requirement to travel to attend hearings in prisons and other secure establishments.
You may also need to be able to travel to London for Parole Board business or training. You will be reimbursed for travel and subsistence expenses in line with the limits set out in the Parole Board member guidance. Travel time is not paid.
Abatement
If you currently receive a salary from the public purse your remuneration for the Parole Board role may be subject to abatement.
Prison establishments
A full list of prisons and their addresses can be found here.
Annex A: Fiona’s Ainsworth’s blog – Psychologist Member of the Parole Board
Why did you want to join the board?
I worked as a prison psychologist for a number of years and as part of my role frequently gave evidence to the Parole Board. I always hoped that one day I might be on the other side of the table and join the Board, using my knowledge and experience to help make decisions about release. I felt I could offer something helpful having a good understanding of risk and a practical understanding of assessments, interventions and prisons.
What do you like about working for the Parole Board?
There are many things that I love about working for the Parole Board. It is so nice to work in an environment where when you make a decision the decision becomes final. On the day of the oral hearing, we will have digested all the information from the paper dossier, have our questions ready for the witnesses and after hearing all the evidence we make our decision; no one else can interfere with it. There are mechanisms for parties to challenge our decision-making but there must the a valid reason to challenge them, and the bar is high. The secretariat ensure that we are protected from outside influences so we can be fully independent in our decision making. I feel like we have the opportunity to make a difference to victims, prisoners and the public. I value the friendships I have formed with my colleagues, it is an intense job with an incredible amount of responsibility, each of us having our own expertise; we all have equal weight in making the decision, which makes the whole experience very bonding – particularly when it is a difficult decision. I have learnt so much from my colleagues, and I love that we all come from such different backgrounds (from judges, lawyers, police officers, probation officers to non-criminal justice backgrounds) whatever someone’s experience, as a group we compliment each other and are open to learning from each other.
What is the most difficult thing about your job?
I have had more contact with victims in this role than I did as a prison psychologist. Victims can be involved in the hearing by way of presenting their victim personal statement to the panel, and now they can observe most of the hearing if they wish to, as part of the transparency agenda. Hearing the strength of the impact of the crime years later when they are understandably trying to persuade you to make a negative decision can be very difficult to hear. Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community. The role of the Parole Board is not to impose further punishment, and once the legal test for release is met, release must be directed. Understandably, this can be very difficult for victims to comprehend.
Time Commitment
There is a minimum amount of days that we have to commit to as a specialist member. Most of us choose to work many more days than the minimum because the work is so fulfilling. It is also incredibly flexible, whereby you offer the days which you can work on an electronic diary and the listings team fills your days. It is very straightforward logistically. There is always plenty of work! Some people prefer to do more paper based decisions which they can do at evenings and weekends to fit around other commitments. There are also exciting opportunities to be on various committees and groups that influence the future direction of the Board such as the Equality and Diversity Committee, the Management Committee, Research and Governance or you can join the training team. Whatever your particular interests there are opportunities for professional development. We also regularly receive training and the Parole Board organises an amazing conference almost every year with brilliant speakers.
The way in which members conduct hearings has transformed over the years. Before Covid-19, over 90% of our oral hearings were held inside prisons, in-person. We now conduct over 90% of our hearings electronically, either via video or telephone. This helps you to work flexibly, but there are still opportunities to do in-person hearings if these interest you.
Updates to this page
Last updated 21 January 2021 + show all updates
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Added translation
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First published.
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The 2019 member recruitment campaign is now closed for applications (7 March at 12:00). People can still register their interest in working for the Parole Board at workwithus@paroleboard.gov.uk and will be notified when there is a recruitment campaign open in the region they live in.
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Information added to 'want to know more' section: the Parole Board is holding recruitment events in Bradford and Sheffield on 22 February to discuss why it must improve the diversity of its membership and to encourage people from all backgrounds to apply to be a member.
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The eligibility criteria has been added to make it clear who can apply. The campaign is open to almost everyone and please do ask us at workwithus@paroleboard.gov.uk if you are still unsure whether you are eligible to apply.
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The Parole Board member recruitment page has been updated on Tuesday 29 January with the following: * New video of Parole Board members speaking about their roles and why people should apply * Postcode checker for people who need to check if they live in an eligibile area to apply * The option to book in a call with the Parole Board secretariat, a Parole Board member, or a member of the Public Appointments team via the workwithus email address. #workwithus
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The campaign for new Parole Board members is now open. This page has been updated with guidance on how to apply, blogs from Parole Board members, and when people need to apply by. More information will be posted in due course and please send any questions to workwithus@paroleboard.gov.uk.