IN-CJ Newsdesk 2023 – European Perspectives on Mental Health in Probation
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Probation staff’s knowledge across Europe about mental illness can often be better than the general population’s knowledge, although their attitudes are often found to be healthy when measured using the Mental Health Literacy Scale. The CEP Expert Mental Health working group is looking at the design of a common-score curriculum with national add-on modules, that can be used to evaluate and assess improvements to mental health provision. Professor Charlie Brooker of Royal Holloway, at the University of London, and Coral Sirdifield a Senior Research Associate at the University of Lincoln, and Gerry McNally, former president of CEP, discuss how the study came about, and what the lessons are so far.
European Perspectives on Mental Health in Probation
How should probation services respond to the mental health needs of the people they supervise? This was the central question of an IN-CJ Newsdesk 2023 session with Professor Charlie Brooker (Royal Holloway, University of London), Dr Coral Sirdifield (University of Lincoln), and Gerry McNally (Irish Probation Service and Confederation of European Probation), in conversation with Rob Watson and John Scott.
The discussion began with stark figures: around 40% of people on probation are living with a current mental health disorder, with half experiencing serious conditions. This prevalence is far higher than in the general population, yet probation staff often lack the training, resources, or confidence to respond effectively. Studies from England, Ireland, and wider Europe show both the scale of need and the gaps in professional preparation.
Sirdifield highlighted findings from a joint inspectorate review in England, which revealed uneven and often simplistic training for probation officers. Many practitioners reported encountering people with mental health concerns that they felt unqualified to address. McNally reinforced this point with evidence from Ireland, where over 43% of those under probation supervision showed active symptoms of mental illness—more than double the national average. Despite this, a significant proportion were not engaged with mental health services.
Brooker contrasted probation with prison systems, noting that prisons across Europe are more likely to have policies, training, and suicide prevention strategies in place. In probation, provision remains inconsistent and underdeveloped. International surveys confirm that over half of probation practitioners worldwide believe their mental health training is inadequate.
The conversation turned to solutions. All three contributors emphasised the need for better evidence on needs, the importance of integrated and joined-up services, and the value of lived experience in training. Brooker suggested that specialist probation officers, trained intensively in mental health and working with smaller caseloads, may provide one effective model. McNally stressed that probation should not work in silos but in partnership with mainstream mental health and community services.
The session closed on a reminder that persistence is key. While progress has been made since early European initiatives on training in 2009, more work is needed to build competence and confidence among probation staff. As Sirdifield observed, “we need to evidence the needs so we know what services to commission.” And as McNally concluded, mental health remains a core part of probation’s work, requiring not only skills and pathways but also dialogue with the people most affected.
