The second phase of the nationwide training for probation officers was carried out by the Department of Social Welfare in collaboration with UNICEF Ghana.
High-risk offenders who have been reintegrated into the community are overseen by the probation service, a mandatory part of the criminal justice system.
Probation services are also provided by social welfare officers in Ghana who are tasked with advocating for the rights of children in legal settings.
In 2017, UNICEF worked with the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection and the Department of Social Welfare to create a new probation desk manual.
This was done to make probation officers more effective and to keep them up to date on international best practices.
Sadly, only 20 officers across the nation had received training on the manual’s contents following its development.
As a result, the Department of Social Welfare launched a nationwide training program for probation officers to fill this void and increase the pool of qualified professionals.
In September 2023, 60 officers from the southern sector received skill development on the probation manual in the first phase of this training.
The second phase of the nationwide training for probation officers was carried out by the Department of Social Welfare in collaboration with UNICEF Ghana in an ongoing effort to train more officers.
The training, which was designed as a capacity-building workshop that lasted two days, primarily aimed to improve officers’ knowledge and skills about the new probation manual, which includes new instructions and advice on how to do probation well.
The objectives of the workshop include:
• Ensuring that current legal standards and procedures for the administration of justice are followed in order to enhance the capabilities of probation officers with regard to the probation desk manual.
• Enhancing social service delivery at the district, regional, and national levels through efficient collaboration and communication
• Increasing the number of community-based trained probation officers in anticipation of the expected passage of the Community Service Act in 2023.
Dr. Comfort Asare, the National Director of the Department of Social Welfare (DSW), stated in his address to the attendees that the purpose of the training on the probation desk manual is to enhance participants’ comprehension of probation practices as well as their knowledge of their professional responsibilities as outlined in the Juvenile Justice Act and related child justice policies.
She stated that this training is essential for ensuring that officers have the necessary tools to effectively carry out their responsibilities while upholding the dignity and rights of those they serve.
Dr. Comfort Asare expressed her optimism that the training would equip probation officers to carry out their duties to the highest possible standard.
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Additionally, UNICEF Ghana’s Ms. Hilda Mensah urged the officers to provide data on the cases they manage and to work closely with the DSW. The goal of this project is to compile a comprehensive record of the work done.
She believes that such efforts will establish a solid foundation for the training of additional officers, bolstering the workforce, and ultimately leading to significant outcomes that place children’s best interests first.
Officers from the Western North, Ahafo, Bono, Bono East, North East, Northern, Savannah, Upper East, Upper West, Oti, and Ashanti Regions participated in the second phase, which was carried out in the Ashanti Region that was designated as the Middle Sector.
A total of 120 probation officers received training and certification, with 60 officers from the southern zone and 60 from the middle zone evenly distributed.
