North Wales Probation Area has two Approved Premises. They are:
- Ty Newydd, Bangor
- Plas y Wern, Ruabon
The Approved Premises estate in North Wales provides a total of 46 beds for offenders required to live in a residential facility as a requirement of bail, a Community Order, or as part of a release plan following a custodial sentence.
The facilities provide a comprehensive range of services within their residential programmes geared to addressing the offending related needs of residents. Referrals for residential programmes are made when risk and need considerations indicate that a person needs a high level of structure and accountability for a period prior to returning to live in the community. Work undertaken within Approved Premises seeks to prepare offenders to meet their responsibilities as citizens in the future.
A wide variety of provision is made available to residents. Ranging from standard programmes delivered ‘in house’ to more specialist provision delivered by external providers. For example, accredited programmes and employment training and educational services (e.g. Basic / Key Skills).
Residents are also encouraged to access ‘mainstream’ provision available in the wider community associated with employment, positive health, constructive activity etc. Some residents actually enter employment whilst living in the facilities, which contribute positively to long term resettlement in the community.
Approved Premises embrace a significant level of responsibility for the safety of residents and the public. The standard ‘curfew’ requirements (the strictest in the UK) are enhanced to meet the needs of particular cases and to ensure the necessary level of constraint is imposed on an individual’s liberty. Curfews are strictly regulated and breach will normally result in arrest and prison.
Behaviour within and outside of the facilities is also robustly regulated in accordance with the rules and conditions of residence. High standards of acceptable behaviour are demanded. Aggressive, abusive and inappropriate behaviours, drug and alcohol misuse and non-compliance with agreed interventions and activities will result in enforcement / breach action being taken.
Approved Premises work closely with Offender Managers and statutory partners (e.g. NW Police) in relation to planning resettlement and move on. This includes active participation in MAPPA / MARAC structures in North Wales.
Hostel Rules (pdf download 19kb)
