UNCLASSIFIED

TITLE
SKILLS SCREENING TOOL: FIRST MOVE – INITIAL SKILLS CHECKER
This instruction applies to: / Reference:
Probation Services / PI 10/2010
Issue date / Effective Date / Expiry Date
14 June 2010 / 1st July 2010 / 31st May 2011
Issued on the authority of / NOMS Agency Management Board
For action by / Directors of Offender Management, Regional Community Managers, Chief Executives of Probation Trusts
For information / All staff in Probation Services
Contact / Roger Stevens, OESS
, tel 020 7217 5091
Associated documents
Replaces the following documents which are hereby cancelled :-
PC 13/2007
Audit/monitoring :
Directors of Offender Management will monitor compliance in their region with the mandatory actions set out in this Probation Instruction. Probation Trusts must demonstrate compliance with these actions when required to do so by Directors of Offender Management.
Introduces amendments to the following documents. Copies held on EPIC will be amended; hard copies must be amended or cross referenced locally.
None

UNCLASSIFIED

Page 1

CONTENTS

Executive Summary

Operational Instructions

Annex – PC 13/2007

1.Executive summary

Background

1.1PC 13/2007 introduced the First Move initial skills checker screening tool.

1.2The “First Move” tool brought consistency to the way offenders were screened for basic skills needs. It helped identify those offenders with a basic learning need and enabled probation practitioners to refer the offenders on to appropriate learning and skills provision. “First Move” was successfully introduced at the time and it is now used by all probation trusts in England and Wales.

1.3The numerical score “First Move” generates is currently also used to help inform the Education, Training and Employability section of the Offender Assessment System (OASys) tool. Additionally, probation trusts receive central funding to administer the First Move tool with the number of screenings undertaken collected by the NOMS Performance, Information and Analysis Group and displayed on the NOMS Performance Hub. Work is also underway to place an electronic version of “First Move” formally within the new layered Offender Management procedures.

1.4PC 13/2007 expires on 1 June 2010, and development of the broader specification and operating manual is likely to take up to a further 12 months. First Move is a professionally developed tool that is fit for purpose and can be delivered by non specialist staff. It has been in use for 3 years and staff and education providers are familiar with it. The use of other locally produced tools that have not been quality assured may result in the incorrect referral or non referral of offenders to learning and skills provision. This would impact on the range of services education providers are able to provide and may delay that individual’s access to provision. It would also break the consistent approach that we have now established to ensure that all offender learners receive a good quality initial screening.

Desired outcomes

1.5That First Move continues to be used universally for initial skills screening.

Mandatory actions

1.6Directors of Offender Management must ensure that Probation Trusts continue to use First Move for initial skills screening.

Resource Impact

1.7This instruction mandates the continuation of an existing process and therefore has no new resource implications.

2.Operational instructions

2.1Operational instructions and user guidance notes were contained in the annex to PC 13/2007 which is reproduced as an annex to this Instruction.

signed

Ian Poree

Director of Commissioning and Operational Policy

Annex

PC 13/2007

PI 10/2010

Issue date 14/06/2010