One of the UK’s biggest providers of probation services has collapsed. Working links, an employment and probation services company entered administration on 15 February. The outsourcing company had been severely criticised by inspectors. The Chief Inspector of Probation bought forward publication of its report in light of the company going into administration. The report labelled Working Links CRC Dorset, Devon and Cornwall as “inadequate”. Dame Glenys Stacey, the chief inspector of probation said “we have found professional ethics compromised and immutable lines crossed because of business imperatives.”
Working Links is owned by German asset management company, Aurelius. In 2015, Working Links was awarded three contracts to run community rehabilitation companies (CRC), as part of the reforms introduced under the then Justice Minister, Chris Grayling. The Justice Select Committee has been critical of the reforms and the outsourcing of probation services.
