Approved Premises Performance Improvement Standards
Contents
AP1 Resources for High-Risk Work
AP2 High Risk MAPPPA Arrangements in Place and Known
AP3 Risk Management and Enforcement
AP4 Monitoring and Surveillance
AP5 Compliance and Enforcement
AP6 Relationship with Local Community
AP7 Suicide /Self Harm
AP8 Illegal Drugs Policy and Procedures
AP9 Resettlement & Reintegration
AP10 Diversity/Maximising Inclusion
ANNEX A Scoring sheet
AP1
Resources for High-Risk Work
Description:
The Approved Premise has resources necessary to enable it to carry out work for the
management of high risk of harm offenders.
Examples of how the criterion will be met:

Regular health and safety risk assessment is carried out on the building.

Specific health and safety work relating to the safe management of high
risk cases.

Approved Premise can store confidential information safely.

Approved Premise has CCTV that assists with the management of high
risk cases.

Approved Premise has sufficient staff to monitor residents, carry out
room searches and curfew checks.

Approved Premise follows its policy for dealing with controlled entry and
exit of the building.

Approved Premise follows its policy on dealing with violent situations.

Regular engagement with/contributions to MAPPA work.

Relevant paperwork including up-to-date OASys accompanies all referrals

Mandatory use of ‘personal attack alarms’ to assist staff safety.

A structured regime which facilitates the provision of enhanced
supervision and monitoring of high risk offenders.
Methods for Managers to check and local area senior managers to audit
and verify;

Copies of health and safety risk assessments, resident entry and exit and
action plans.

Inspection of CCTV system and record of compliance with the personal
alarms policy.

Interviews with Approved Premise manager, staff and key MAPPA staff.

Approved Premise has a policies on controlled entry and exit of the
building and on dealing with violent situations.

Meetings between Approved Premise and MAPPA staff.

Documentation evidencing regime and resident compliance rates.
AP2
High Risk MAPPA Arrangements in Place and Known
Description:
Offenders subject to MAPPA have the relevant public protection plan in place.
Examples of how criteria will be met:

Assessments should be based on OASys and Approved Premise
supervision plan.

A public protection plan/risk assessment is in the resident’s file.

Use of OASys to inform assessment and risk management plan.

Regular joint meetings between the Approved Premise staff, MAPPA and
field offender manager in line with the MAPPA arrangements.

Regular reviews of the resident in team meetings.
Methods for Managers to check and local area senior managers to audit
and verify;

Review offender records and OASys documentation.

Use of offender management audit form.
AP3
Risk Management and Enforcement
Description:
The case file shows that all relevant documentation is completed and available at the
Approved Premise on respect of risk management and enforcement.
Examples of how criteria will be met:

Offender records containing all relevant documentation, e.g. OASys
assessment and Supervision Plan, offender contact log, MAPPA
arrangements and information to facilitate an emergency recall.

Approved Premise has policy on emergency recall.

Approved Premise has police contacts for emergency recall and breach of
bail.

Duty manager and ACO rota.
Methods for Managers to check and local area senior managers to audit
and verify;

Approved Premise records.

Offender records.

Policy on recall and breach of bail.

Evidence of police contacts.
AP4
Monitoring and Surveillance
Description:
Staff carry out monitoring and surveillance in line with Approved Premises
Handbook, local Approved Premise policy (including drug and alcohol testing)
and individual risk management plans.
Examples of how the criterion will be met:

Approved Premise staff use OASys and Approved Premises Supervision
Plan to identify those residents needing monitoring and surveillance.

Approved Premise has systems and procedures which are compatible
with local area policy, for recording and communicating information,
including interface with local MAPP.

Approved Premise has policy and procedure for drug/alcohol testing.

Staff understand their monitoring and surveillance roles.

Feedback to Offender Manager on monitoring and surveillance work with
the resident.

Approved Premise has a confidentiality policy.
Methods for Managers to check and local area senior managers to audit
and verify;

Approved Premise policy on curfew checks, use of ‘tagging equipment’,
room checks, door entry and CCTV.

Policy meet standards set out in Approved Premises Handbook.

Drug and alcohol testing policy and procedure.

Evidence that manager is checking that policy and processes for
monitoring and surveillance are being followed.
AP5 Compliance and Enforcement
Description:
Responsibility for the monitoring of compliance and the enforcement of orders/licences
is clearly defined with appropriate systems in place. There is evidence of effective
enforcement in all cases and clear evidence and documentation with regard to the link
with risk management.
Examples of how criteria will be met:

Clear case records that note an offender’s attendance/non-compliance
and any necessary enforcement action.

Committee policy and guidance documents on enforcement conform to
the requirements of National Standards, area enforcement policy and the
agreed Approved Premises rules.

Periodic quality assurance exercises to ensure enforcement practice is
being followed.

Action on enforcement takes place within the agreed National Standards
timetable.

Arrangements with police for arrest of residents.
Methods for Managers to check and local area senior managers to audit
and verify;

Case records.

Interviews with Offender Managers.

Interviews with Approved Premise staff.

Copy of Approved Premises rules.

Area enforcement action.

Interview with local police.

National standards monitoring with regard to enforcement.
AP6
Relationship with Local Community
Description:
A robust, proactive strategy for developing links with the local community and a policy
for managing those relationships.
Examples of how the criterion will be met:

Local community support group based at Approved Premise eg friends of
the Approved Premise group.

Approved Premise active in local community group.

If appropriate, residents active in local community events.

Approved Premise has written strategy for community engagement.

Senior managers and Approved Premise Managers meet local neighbours.

Approved Premise has policy and process for dealing with complaints
from neighbours.

Use of police intelligence.

Local ward councillors/MPs briefings.

Record of complaints and use of complaints procedure.
Methods for managers to check and local area audit to verify:

Copies of policies.

Reports by local manager on relationship with neighbours.

Records of meetings with neighbours.

Evidence of resident participation in local events.

Copy of Approved Premise contingency plan.

Reports on complaints and use of complaints procedure.
AP7
Suicide/Self harm
Description:
Approved Premise should have in place a policy and robust supporting
procedures and systems for work with offenders who are assessed as high risk
of suicide or self harm.
Examples of how the criterion will be met

Protocol in place to ensure sharing of information between HMPS and
probation area/approved premise

Liaison with prisons, mental health practitioners and services.

Procedures in place for notifying staff and on-call managers of potential
risk.

Staff trained to identify risk and to respond appropriately.

Procedures in place for notifying key partners and stakeholders.

Requirement that staff carry out regular and frequent checks to locate
whereabouts and condition of all residents and systems in place for
recording these checks.

Medication systems which are compatible with NPD operational
instructions and the local Health and Safety requirements.

Strategy for supervising offenders who are at risk of suicide/ self harm.

Staff trained in First Aid.
Methods for Managers to check and local area senior managers to audit
and verify;

A written policy for working with offenders who are assessed as at risk of
suicide and or self harm.

Evidence that information is sought at the referral stage of risk of suicide
or self harm

Documentation to evidence supporting arrangements with local medical
and mental health services.

Evidence of staff training (including relief staff).

Evidence of systems for communicating risk to other key partners and
stakeholders.

Evidence of regular and frequent checks carried out by staff on all
offenders.

Interviews with all Approved Premise staff including awareness of selfharm and deaths in Approved Premise policy.
AP8
Approved Premises and Illegal Drugs.
Description
Approved Premise has a policy and procedure for dealing with residents who
are using illegal drugs.
All Approved Premises will have facilities for on site drug testing and
supporting policies, procedures and protocols (Provisional – dependent on new
national policy being implemented).
Examples of how the criteria will be met

Approved Premise has a drugs policy and procedure.

Approved Premise has a policy regarding the role of the unit in the
provision of drug treatment.

Staff are aware of the Approved Premise procedures.

The requirement for random drug testing is incorporated in Approved
Premise documentation which is made available to offenders, prisons and
key stakeholders . (Provisional)

Management Committees will incorporate random drug testing into their
Annual Business Plan/report and all Approved Premises will have
facilities and equipment for on site drug testing. (Provisional)

Probation areas/Management Committees will require reports on testing
and treatment from Approved Premise managers and partners (Provisional)

Staff will receive training and support in the administration of testing

Arrangements will be in place with partner agencies to facilitate entry into
treatment

Staff are trained and receive briefings on working with illegal drug
misusers.

Approved Premise has policy for storage and handling of prescribed
medication and the disposal of 'sharps'.

Approved Premise will have in place a policy and supporting procedures
for the disposal of any illegal drugs found in Approved Premise.
Methods for Managers to check and local area senior managers to audit
and verify;

Copy of Approved Premise drug policy and procedure.

Facilities and equipment available on-site (Provisional)

Access to Area drug treatment resources.

Approved Premise staff interviews.

Copies of testing and training audits.

List of staff who have attended drugs training.

Protocols for working with partner agencies.

Key work records reflect Approved Premise adherence to testing and
entry into treatment.
AP9
Resettlement and Reintegration
Description:
The Approved Premise has enables residents to access housing advice services
to facilitate move-on resources for the residents either through Supporting
People arrangements and appropriate referrals to local authorities and other
housing providers.
Examples of how the criterion will be met:

Residents have a written resettlement plan prepared by the offender
manager or Approved Premise key worker based on OASys and other
risk management tools.

Residents have access to housing advice services.

High-risk resident resettlement issues feature on the local MAPPA
agenda

Approved Premise has links to local supporting people services.

Approved Premise
arrangements.

Approved Premise are part of local Supporting People policy.
staff
understand
regional
cross-authority
Methods for local managers to check and local area senior manager to
audit on behalf of NPD;

Copies of resettlement plans in residents’ files.

Approved Premise mentioned in local Supporting People and
Homelessness strategies.

Evidence of residents accessing resettlement or housing advice services.

Minutes of MAPPA meetings.
AP10 Diversity/Maximising Inclusion
Description:
The Approved Premise regime is designed for a broad range of offenders. Assessment
and support arrangements should exist so that women, ethnic minority offenders and
offenders with disabilities can fully participate in the Approved Premises interventions.
Examples of how the criterion will be met:

Approved Premises are explicitly included in the Area Diversity Plan.

Approved premises have their own annual Diversity Plan.

Approved Premises provide data on admissions and departures based on
race, ethnicity, gender and disability.

Provision of meals to cover all dietary needs.

Access to interpreting and translation services.

Staffing profile of Approved Premises in relation to resident group. A
sufficient range of interventions are available to ensure broad access to
the residents.

Regular consultation with women, black and minority ethnic and
offenders with disabilities over potential opportunities to maximise
inclusion.

Offender feedback questionnaires, broken down by race and gender, used
to demonstrate to offenders that Approved Premises develop its policies
based on their feedback. Completion of any Race Equality Impact
Assessments.

Process for dealing with complaints exists and is public.
Methods for Managers to check and local area audit to verify:

Area and Approved Premises documentation including Diversity Plans.

Copies of reports on admissions, departures, and resident feedback.

Resident feedback reports.

Interviews with senior managers, Approved Premises managers and
deputy managers and all other Approved Premises staff. List of
community and faith resources, Approved Premises Diversity Plan and
reports on reviews.

Race Equality Impact Assessments.

Posters advertising community and religious resources.

Reports on the usage of the complaints procedure methods for Managers
to check and local area audit to verify.
Scoring Approach
Each criterion will be scored as:
0.
No evidence
1.
A small amount of evidence.
2.
Some evidence.
3.
Considerable evidence.
4.
Standards fully met.
Criterion
AP1 Resources for High-Risk Work
Score
AP2 High Risk MAPPPA Arrangements in Place and Known
AP3 Risk Management and Enforcement
AP4 Monitoring and Surveillance
AP5 Compliance and Enforcement
AP6 Relationship with Local Community
AP7 Suicide /Self Harm
AP8 Illegal Drugs Policy and Procedures
AP9 Resettlement & Reintegration
AP10 Diversity/Maximising Inclusion
Total Score
Maximum Potential score
40