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Introduction
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OASys is a national system, developed by HM Prison and Probation Service, to assess the needs of adults who have been convicted of offences. It is designed to:
- assess how likely an individual is to be reconvicted
- identify and classify their offending-related needs, including their basic personality characteristics and any cognitive behavioural problems
- assess the risk of serious harm that they pose, risks to them, and other risks
- assist with managing these risks
- link the risk assessment to the individual’s supervision or sentence plan
- indicate the need for further specialist assessments
- measure change during the period of supervision/sentence.
OASys is designed to be an integral part of the work that practitioners do in assessing offenders; identifying the risks they pose, and deciding how to minimise those risks and tackle offending behaviour effectively. Its purpose is to help practitioners make sound and defensible decisions.
Assessment is a process that continues throughout the individual’s sentence and/or period of supervision. OASys can be used to reassess offenders at various points during this time, and to measure how they have changed.
A typical OASys assessment contains multiple sections. The following are especially relevant in a child sexual abuse safeguarding context:
Offence History and Previous Convictions
- A full history of the individual’s convictions, including any sexual offences or offences with a sexual element.
- Non-convicted behaviour that has been evidenced or admitted.
- Patterns of behaviour (e.g. grooming behaviours, past domestic abuse, coercive control, online offending). This history can quickly alert safeguarding partners to previous sexual or violent risk relevant to children.
Risk of Harm Analysis
This identifies whether the individual poses a risk to:
- children
- the general public
- known adults
- staff or other practitioners.
The analysis outlines how, when and under what circumstances the individual might cause harm. For a multi-agency assessment, this helps to clarify:
- their current level of risk to children
- whether the risk is situation-specific or general
- any warning signs, triggers or factors that may increase or reduce the risk.
Attitudes, Thinking, and Behaviour
This section explores the individual’s:
- problem-solving skills
- attitudes towards offending
- denial or minimisation
- impulsivity or emotional regulation issues.
It provides insights which can help agencies understand whether the individual is able and willing to keep children safe, or whether they may conceal or normalise harmful sexual behaviour.
Lifestyle and Relationships
This section helps to identify whether the individual’s circumstances create risk around children, through their direct behaviour or unsafe networks. It includes information on:
- intimate relationships
- parenting behaviour
- contact with children
- peer groups, social networks or associates
- lifestyle factors such as substance misuse, instability and isolation.
Accommodation, Employment, and Social Functioning
This is relevant to understanding the individual’s household environment, daily routines and stability factors which may affect safeguarding decisions.
Sentence Plan and Monitoring Requirements
This section can help other agencies to understand the formal safeguarding measures already in place, which may include:
- licence conditions (e.g. no unsupervised contact with children)
- restrictions (e.g. exclusion zones, device monitoring, programme requirements)
- participation in treatment or behaviour-change interventions.
When there are concerns about child sexual abuse, the information recorded within OASys can be essential for assessing whether an adult in the child’s life poses a direct or indirect risk, and for developing appropriate safety plans.
Used appropriately, it can help practitioners involved in a multi-agency assessment to:
1. Build a clear picture of risk by integrating offence history, risk analysis, and behavioural patterns in order to understand:
- whether the adult has a known history of sexual offending or concerning behaviour
- what risk factors remain current and active
- whether the adult is complying with supervision and safeguarding conditions
- the adult’s insight into their behaviour and protective responsibilities
- any known triggers, patterns or environments where risk increases
- whether the adult has been involved in previous child protection enquiries.
2. Carry out informed child protection assessments, especially where the adult is:
- living in the home
- providing care or supervision of the child
- in a position of trust
- involved in a relationship with the child’s parent/carer.
3. Develop a proportionate safeguarding plan, including:
- supervision arrangements
- contact restrictions
- safety planning
- risk-focused interventions.
4. Coordinate multi-agency actions by aligning the Probation Service’s monitoring with children’s social care or police safeguarding activity.
5. Avoid missing risk indicators – OASys may reveal information not known to other agencies, such as:
- unreported behaviour
- concerns raised by previous partners
- non-compliance with treatment or licence conditions
- attempts to minimise or conceal risk.
Access to OASys is strictly controlled, and information can only be accessed directly by the probation officer or case manager. Children’s social care does not have direct access, but can request information through:
- a formal information-sharing request to the Probation Service
- a multi-agency meeting (e.g. MASH, strategy meeting, risk management meeting)
- MAPPA arrangements, where relevant
- a statutory assessment under section 47 or section 17 of the Children Act 1989.
The Probation Service decides what information is necessary and proportionate to share, based on risk and purpose. The information shared will usually be the assessing practitioner’s analysis, rather than the ‘raw’ information recorded on OASys.