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Welcome to the EuroPris Knowledge Management System. The table below shows questions and responses from European National Agencies. Select a question for more information or use the filters on the left to narrow down questions based on Agency or Category.
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Introduction: The Scottish Prison Service has commissioned a research agency to evaluate its current arrangements for offering educational opportunities for staff to study for post-graduate qualifications at colleges and universities. In considering options for the future, the researchers are interested in comparing SPS’s arrangements to the approaches taken in other countries, and would be grateful for any information you can provide on the range of post-graduate study options you offer to your prison staff.
All employees at the Swedish prison and probation service may be granted leave without pay if it can be done without inconvenience to the Authority's activities and if there are special reasons for it such as for studies.
How you approach staff development at this level more generally?All new employees must successfully complete a compulsory basic training in connection with their employment. The Swedish prison and probation service wants to make sure that the employee has the knowledge, skills and attitudes as the professional role requires. Therefore the prison service training courses are tailored to the type of service that the person will have. In addition to the compulsory basic training Swedish prison and probation offer several further training for employees who work with specific client groups, holds specific responsibilities or work on specific devices. During any of these training courses the employee receive full pay and allowances, as well as compensation for travel.
They would also be interested in understanding how these study options are delivered (e.g. block release, day release, online learning etc.)?The Swedish prison and probation service training courses covers everything from daily full time studies during 20 weeks at the most, to individual training days and studies via e-learning. Most training courses alternate theory with practical sessions and it is examined in order to be approved in relation to educational objectives. The pedagogy in the courses is based on a problem-based learning which combines theoretical lectures with practical exercises and sometimes even internships. Currently the Swedish prison and probation service is working to clarify their educational platform for all personnel education and pedagogy will follow "outcomes-based education, namely Constructive alignment (John Biggs).
All Recruit Prison Officers complete a Level 6 Higher Certificate in Custodial Care as part of their induction training over 2 years part time. We support many officers to continue with their professional development and complete Level 7 degree programmes part time in their own time, but funded by the organisation. We also support managers to continue to their development and complete Level 8 and 9 masters programmes. We have a Governor and a Padre/Chaplin who are completing PhDs on their own time with some funding from the IPS.
How you approach staff development at this level more generally?Although we encourage staff to engage in additional professional development through external programmes, it is often difficult to evaluate and differentiate between applications and make objective decisions about the most suitable managers to support, given that this can provide them with a significant advantage in promotion competitions. We cannot support every application or we will have no one to manage our prisons. However, we try to support all managers with some external development. We also conduct internal management courses for newly promoted staff to each grade. We are attempting to develop this approach much more. Eventually we would like to have many of these internal management courses accredited by an external university which may allow successful participants to be awarded exemptions from certain modules of external management courses.
They would also be interested in understanding how these study options are delivered (e.g. block release, day release, online learning etc.)?We only support staff to complete part time courses where much of the study is completed in their own time given the potential impact on staffing levels. There is also significant value to providing our staff with opportunities to integrate with the wider community and learn with other leaders and managers in wider society rather than focus all of the learning in a Prison Service classroom environment. We have a clear policy on these issues which we can send to you.
All of our study options are open to all of our staff. As levels of education we offer vocational training for guards and professional higher education for prison officials. The graduate level does not require previous vocational diploma but is open based on general admission requirements. As post-graduate higher education we offer a Master's degree in the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences. The degree is not a prerequisite for any position but rather a staff member's personal choice on how to design their career.
How you approach staff development at this level more generally?For staff having gone through school and training we offer lectures and instructions on various work-related topics with highly qualified lecturers from the College of Justice (Estonian Academy of Security Sciences). The training sessions are specific to a group of staff members specialty, and open to all ranks of staff in that specialty. The lectures can last from one to several days.
They would also be interested in understanding how these study options are delivered (e.g. block release, day release, online learning etc.)?Both the vocational training and higher education are offered as a daytime or full-time study requiring full attention on the studies. The training sessions and lectures are organised as all-day activities requiring a day-release or a few days from work.
We do not offer any post-graduate opportunity for the stuff at colleges or university. If someone would want to do any qualification it is his or her choice, inside his private time and on own finance budget.
How you approach staff development at this level more generally?We try to respond to the needs of stuff and provide opportunities for the whole system through organisation of courses or trainings.
They would also be interested in understanding how these study options are delivered (e.g. block release, day release, online learning etc.)?If someone starts to study then it is duty to give his/her own time for lectures and other study duties but he receive one day of non-paid holiday for each exam.
Yes
How you approach staff development at this level more generally?Every official has the opportunity to choose one of his desired postgraduate studies at his own expense according to his choice and ability during the course of his work and is usually granted if the study obligations can be matched with the business obligations. Officials who enter the mentioned studies and work in turnovers may work in turnovers adjusted to their faculty obligations. We emphasize that there is an obligation and the right to continuos professional development of the prison system officer which is normally carried out within the framework of a special organizational unit in the Directorate for prison system within the Ministry of Justice - Training Center but also within other institutions outside the Ministry of Justice, such as the State Public Administration School. Professional improvement of the officials is carried out with the goal of acquiring additional and specialized knowledge necessary for performing professional activities from the scope of the prison system, namely the Directorate of the Prison System of the Ministry of Justice.
They would also be interested in understanding how these study options are delivered (e.g. block release, day release, online learning etc.)?Most often they are conducted in such a way that officials attend certain seminars, lectures, exercises, where they receive adequate scripts, manuals.
There are no limitations related to staff levels. Limitations are related for example to the length of the employment relationship and are based on law and our own policies as an employer. According to the Finnish Study Leave Act, a public official or an employee who has worked full-time for the same employer for at least 1 year is entitled to up to 2 years of study leave over 5 years in the same employer's service. If the full-time employment has lasted less than 1 year but at least 3 months, the person is entitled to 5 days of study leave. A study leave may be granted only for studies in a programme subject to public supervision (please notice that majority of our schools are under public supervision). Study leave based on law is unpaid but some employers offer paid study leave as a benefit or it might be agreed on in a collective agreement. Nevertheless, a person may be eligible for study benefit paid by the state during his/her leave. According to our own policy, we offer 30 days of paid study leave within a year for studies aiming to a degree. The person will need to meet the criteria set out in the Study Leave Act and the degree needs to be beneficial for the agency as an employer. Basically this means that the agency will not grant paid study leave unless the degree supports performance of the agencys tasks. In addition, it is required that taking a study leave is agreed in advance and that the studies are proceeding according to the curriculum. We also have our own training institute (The Training Institute for Prison and Probation Services) which provides training for our staff in subjects varying from security to interaction skills. The training institute and Laurea University of Applied Sciences also run a Degree Programme in Social Services specializing in Correctional Services (bachelors degree). This is the only national educational programme in the field of correctional services at the level of a university of applied sciences. The programme consists of 210 credits and takes approximately three and a half years to complete. Applicants with a vocational qualification in prison and probation services (basic qualification, qualification in prison and probation services) can be admitted as mature students, in which case the course consists of 90–150 credits depending on the applicant’s previous degree. After completing Social Services Degree specializing in Correctional Services there is also a possibility to apply under a quota for degree in Administrative Sciences in University of Eastern Finland (masters degree).
How you approach staff development at this level more generally?We have recently launched a project which aims to develop our staffs professional competence. A major part of the project is reforming the Correctional Services Degree in order to prepare for future demands of working life. Main objectives of the reform are ensuring that our staff working in correctional services and in rehabilitative work have extensive professional abilities but also to create possibilities for our staff to move between different positions in our organization and to continuously develop themselves. We found that securing and encouraging our staffs professional development is crucial especially in a work that includes authority to intervene to the fundamental and human rights of an individual.
They would also be interested in understanding how these study options are delivered (e.g. block release, day release, online learning etc.)?See answer to question number 1. In any way mentioned above. There are only limitations to the maximum of days.
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This content is only available to registered members of EuroPris.
This is regulated through Act relating to working environment, working hours and employment protection, etc. (Working Environment Act) and through section 9 of the Personnel Handbook for State Employees (Statens personalhåndbok). Section 12-11 (Educational leave) reads: (1) An employee who has worked for at least three years and who has worked for the same employer for the last two years shall be entitled to full or partial leave for up to three years in order to attend organised courses of education.Beyond the level of the lower or upper secondary school, leave will only be granted for vocational studies. Vocational studies include all types of continuing education and training of relevance for the labour market. (2) Educational leave may not however be demanded when it would constitute an obstacle to the employer’s responsible planning of operations and personnel assignments. (3) An employee who has taken educational leave is not entitled to further educational leave until the time that has elapsed since the commencement of the previous educational leave is a) equal to twice the duration of the leave and b) at least one year from commencement of the previous educational leave, except when this was for a course of under one month’s duration. (4) An employee who wishes to make use of his or her right to educational leave must notify the employer of this in writing. The notification shall include information concerning the academic content of the course, the duration and, if appropriate, admission to the educational institution. When the course involves education beyond the level of the lower or upper secondary school, grounds must be given for vocational relevance (5) An employer who maintains that the conditions for educational leave have not been fulfilled shall as early as possible and at the latest within six months notify the employee of this in writing. When the leave applied for is of a shorter duration than six months, the employer’s reply shall be given within three months following receipt of the employee’s request for leave but, when the leave applied for is of a shorter duration than one month the reply shall be given within two months. Until the employee’s request has been answered, the employer shall on request inform the employee of what has been done to make all possible arrangements for the educational leave. Disputes concerning whether the conditions pursuant to the first, second and third paragraph have been met may be brought before the Dispute Resolution Board, cf. section 12-14, after expiry of the employer’s time limit for reply. (6) The Ministry may by regulation wholly or partly exempt undertakings from the provisions of this section. Section 9 of the Personnel Handbook for State Employees (Statens personalhåndbok) regulates the employees right to economic founding whilst studying: It reads (extract). 9.11.2 Section 2 Leave with full salary Leave with full salary can be granted for up to one year when: a) further and continuing education is necessary for the enterprise, b) further and continuing education shall qualify the employee for continued work in the position or enterprise and the education is an integrated part of the working conditions, c) further and continuing education is necessary for the employee to be able to continue in the public service. The enterprise determines whether further and continuing education is necessary. By salary is meant salary pursuant to Section 2, no. 1 of the joint provisions in the Basic Collective Agreement, unless otherwise agreed. 9.11.3 Section 3 Leave with partial salary Leave with partial salary may be granted for up to one year when further and continuing education is of lesser or minor importance to the enterprise. The enterprise shall assess the necessity of further and continuing education. Chapter 4 Leave with salary for study and exam days 9.11.10 Section 10 Study and exam days 1. When concerning exams, employees are entitled to one exam or study day2 for every two credit points. The study day(s) taken must have an immediate connection to the exam. The employee and employer must agree in advance as to when these days will be taken. Employees who take further and continuing education that is beneficial to the enterprise or to the employee’s position/qualifications, are entitled to leave with salary for a total of up to 21 study and exam days during a study year.4 Employees who take further and continuing education that is of little or no importance to the enterprise are entitled to leave with salary for a total of up to seven study and exam days during a study year. 2. For study programmes that include subjects from upper secondary school, 20 school hours per study year are equivalent to one credit point. Study and exam days are calculated in accordance with point 1. Time spent on home studies is of no significance to the calculation of credit points. 3. Other types of courses and education with final exams that are not measured by way of credit points only entitle an employee to leave with salary on the exam day(s). If the course is beneficial to the enterprise, the employee can also be granted leave with salary for one study day with an immediate connection to the exam. 4. Employees who receive scholarships5 in connection with the studies are only entitled to unpaid study and exam days, cf. point 1. 5. For temporary employees with employment arrangements of less than 12 months, leave with salary can be granted pursuant to points 1-4 above. It is also worth mentioning that The University College of Norwegian Correctional Service offers courses and seminars open for all employees in the Correctional Service in various topics.
How you approach staff development at this level more generally?Section 1.7 of the Personnel Handbook for State Employees states that: 1.7 Public service skills policy The public service is dependent on qualified and motivated employees to be able to provide high quality services to the population and private sector. In order to be an attractive, competitive and quality-conscious employer, the public service must - both centrally and in the enterprises - facilitate skills and career development for employees. Each enterprise should utilise the opportunities of becoming a “learning organisation” through learning-intensive work, systematic knowledge sharing and offering training and further and continuing education. This requires focus from involved personnel management, with dialogue concerning development needs and goals between the manager and each employee, as well as good relations between the parties. At the same time, individuals must take responsibility for their own skills and career development. In order to succeed with the skills policy, each enterprise should focus on flexible, and preferably, individually adapted initiatives, both internally and in cooperation with external resource groups. The initiatives should be based on the systematic assessment of requirements and evaluation of previous learning results. The enterprises should also make use of e-learning and ICT-supported forms of learning. This will be more appropriate utilisation of resources and more efficient use of the various methods. Four values were adopted in the Norwegian Correctional Service's Operations Strategy 2014-2018: Openness, respect, commitment and professionalism. One of the sub-points under ‘professionalism” states: “We have professional integrity based on knowledge”.
They would also be interested in understanding how these study options are delivered (e.g. block release, day release, online learning etc.)?See question 1