Probation officers work to rehabilitate offenders. They supervise, counsel and help them before trial, during any prison or community sentence and on release from prison
Also calledCommunity service officerInspectorChief probation officerYouth justice officerCommunity payback officer
Recruitment from abroad. Fewer than 10 sponsored work visas were granted for this job from July 2025 to June 2026. Home Office
Who does it
ONS · Annual Population Survey · April 2025 to March 2026
21%aged 55 or over
95%hold a degree
WomenToo few in the survey to give a reliable figure
Age of probation officers
Age profile of probation officers
n/p
27%!
n/p
45%!
21%!
16–2425–3435–4445–5455–64
!Small sample: treat with cautionn/p: too few in the survey to publishShow as table
16–24
Not published
25–34
27% (small sample)
35–44
Not published
45–54
45% (small sample)
55–64
21% (small sample)
Highest qualification
Highest qualification held by probation officers
Degree or equivalent95%
Higher education below degree–
Not published
A levels or equivalent–
Not published
Show as table
Degree or equivalent
95%
Higher education below degree
Not published
A levels or equivalent
Not published
Main employers: other social work activities without accommodation nec (92%), justice and judicial activities (11%).
How to get in
Hold a degree
95%
as their highest qualification
Apprenticeships
None
none leads directly into this work
Routes in
You can get into this job through:
University
You can do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in:
criminology
sociology
psychology
youth and community work
Similar subjects may be acceptable.
Once you finish your course you can apply for the Professional Qualification in Probation (PQiP) training programme. You need to complete this to become a qualified probation officer.
The PQiP programme takes between 15 and 21 months to complete, depending on what you studied at university.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
Other ways in
Work your way up
You could start work as a probation services officer. Once you've built up your experience and completed on-the-job training, you could apply to join the Professional Qualification in Probation (PQiP) programme.
Volunteering
You'll be expected to have paid or voluntary experience of working with vulnerable people, or people with challenging behaviour, before you apply for training. You can get this by working with charities and organisations that support ex-offenders.
Go to Do IT and NCVO for information on voluntary opportunities in your area.
Apply directly
You may be able to apply directly for a trainee probation officer job if you already have a qualification at Level 5 or above. For example, a social work degree that includes a probation option.
What you’ll need
pass enhanced background checks as you may work with children and vulnerable adults
Registration and professional bodies
Career tips
It will help if you have some knowledge of how the criminal justice and rehabilitation systems work.
Professional and industry bodies
You can join the Probation Institute for professional development opportunities.
Further information
You'll find more on how to become a probation officer from HM Prison & Probation Service.
Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for probation officer. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
The work
ONS · ESCO · O*NET
Typical tasks
produces pre-sentence reports to the court about an individual’s crime, their personal circumstances, the suitability of sentencing, the likelihood of re-offending and the future risk to the public
enforces court orders and serves the public by providing a wide range of supervision programmes for those in receipt of a community sentence
draws up probation plans with offenders and helps them follow it, advises them on any work and helps them with any family or social problems
works with prisoners in giving advice on problems such as drug and alcohol abuse, addressing training needs, finding work and getting accommodation
keeps accurate and comprehensive records
Skills
accept own accountability
apply quality standards in social services
apply socially just working principles
assess social service users' situation
assess the development of youth
communicate professionally with colleagues in other fields
communicate with social service users
communicate with youth
cooperate at inter-professional level
deliver social services in diverse cultural communities
demonstrate leadership in social service cases
empower individuals, families and groups
follow health and safety precautions in social care practices
handle conflicts
Knowledge
adolescent psychological development
counselling methods
legal requirements in the social sector
social justice
social sciences
supervision of persons
client-centred counselling
pedagogy
Suits people who like
Helping and caring for people
Working with ideas and solving problems
Outlook
DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for business, media and public service professionals, a group of 32 jobs that includes probation officers.
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↑ 26%about 670,000 more jobs
Workers needed by 20352.1 millionincluding people replacing those who retire or leave
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey: Department for Education and Skills England. Immigration system statistics: Home Office. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission.
This service includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This service has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 licence.
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