News
Expert Group meeting on Mental Health in Probation
On 26th November 2024, CEP organised the first meeting of the Expert Group on Mental Health. The meeting was held at the Centre for Legal Studies and Judicial Training in Barcelona, Catalonia – Spain. 13 experts from 10 European jurisdictions participated in the expert meeting of this group.
The first meeting of the group has been a crucial meeting. This meeting has represented the kick-off of the work plan that the group will develop over the next two years.
The experiences of two European jurisdictions were presented in relation to the intervention with cases people under Probation with Mental Health issues. The Croatian and Maltese experiences were presented.
- State of play of the Mental Health approach in the Probation Service of Croatia
Petra Belec, Probation officer, Ministry of Justice, Public Administration and Digital Transoformation, Croatia - State of play of the Mental Health approach in the Probation Service of Malta
Theressa Attard, Forensic psychologist, Department of Probation and Parole, Malta
At the second part of the meeting Professor Charlie Brooker from Royal Holloway, University of London presented The European survey of probation staff’s knowledge of, and attitudes to, mental illness (online).
Eoin P Ryan from the Irish Probation Service and Expert Group member presented a possible Action plan for the group to work upon the next two years.
Ana Cristina Neves, Head of the Community Sanctions and Measures Division in Portugal, and Chair of the Expert Group conducted interesting discussions and exchanges between experts of the group.
The next meeting of the group will be online in 2025.
Related News
Keep up to date with the latest developments, stories, and updates on probation from across Europe and beyond. Find relevant news and insights shaping the field today.
Mental Health
CEP publishes European Mental Health Training Curriculum for Probation Staff and launches Pilot Implementation Initiative
19/05/2026
In this article, you can explore the newly published European Mental Health Training Curriculum for Probation Officers, learn about the call for a national pilot implementation, and find details about the upcoming webinar on 21 May presenting the curriculum modules.
Mental Health
European Mental Health Week: strengthening probation practice through mental health
13/05/2026
This week, during Mental Health Awareness Week, the Confederation of European Probation is highlighting the importance of mental health in probation practice across Europe.
Probation in Europe, Research
Free Research Resource: KrimDok
12/05/2026
Looking for reliable criminological literature? KrimDok is a free online database developed by the University of Tübingen and supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG).
The database contains nearly 400,000 references to books, journal articles, reports, and other publications covering criminology and related fields such as criminal justice, psychology, sociology, education, and law. It draws on a specialist criminology library established in 1969, with a collection of around 150,000 titles, and includes indexed articles from more than 200 academic journals.
Violent Extremism
New newsletter available: EU Knowledge Hub on Prevention of Radicalisation
11/05/2026
The latest edition of the EU Knowledge Hub newsletter brings together policy, research, and practice to address evolving radicalisation threats across Europe.
Gender-based violence
New European Master’s Programme on Perpetrator Intervention Launched
07/05/2026
The European Network for the Work with Perpetrators of Domestic Violence (WWP EN), in collaboration with Blanquerna – Universitat Ramon Llull (Barcelona), has launched a pioneering new programme:
Lifelong Learning Master’s Degree in Intervention Strategies with Perpetrators of Gender-Based Violence: Social, Clinical, and Legal Perspectives
This initiative represents the first international lifelong learning Master’s programme specifically focused on perpetrator intervention, offering a unique opportunity for professionals working to address and prevent gender-based violence across Europe and beyond.
Education and Training
CEP Expert Network on Education and Training Publishes Technical Recommendations on Mentoring in Probation Training
06/05/2026
The Confederation of European Probation (CEP) is pleased to present the Technical Recommendations on Mentoring in the Context of Probation Training, developed through the work of the CEP Expert Network on Education and Training.
This publication is the result of extensive collaborative exchange among 30 experts from 15 European jurisdictions, who convened in March 2025 in Agen, France, at the École Nationale d’Administration Pénitentiaire (ENAP). Bringing together probation directors, middle managers, practitioners, and representatives from training institutions, the network worked collectively to identify shared challenges, exchange practices, and formulate practical recommendations to strengthen mentoring within probation services across Europe.
Subscribe to our bi-monthly email newsletter!
"*" indicates required fields
- Keep up to date with important probation developments and insights.






