Chapter 8 - Keeping in touch scheme

Appendices

This chapter sets out the rules governing the CPS Keeping in Touch Scheme (KITS).

The CPS Keeping in Touch Scheme is designed to ensure that members of staff who are absent from the office for a lengthy period are kept fully informed of developments in the Department, changes in policy and practice and vacancies. The objective is to ensure that those staff maintain contact with the Department to ease their eventual return to work.

All staff who are on a career break, maternity leave, secondment to an external organisation, loan to another Government Department or are on special leave or sick absence for a period of 4 weeks or more automatically become participants in the Keeping in Touch Scheme.
The ABM/Service Centre Personnel/HR Services for HQ staff are responsible for maintaining a register of all those staff who are on the KIT scheme within the Area. Staff may specify the communications they wish to receive, and the address for despatch using Appendix 1.
The three main elements of the Scheme are:

Area Business Managers (ABM)/Unit Heads for HQ staff should ensure that regular contact is made with the member of staff. The line manager will generally be the most appropriate person for this task. If the contact point moves on, a new contact point must be arranged.
As appropriate, staff on the Keeping in Touch Scheme should be invited to attend relevant training events and conferences (which should be treated as paid attendance) in addition to social events. The provision of regular training opportunities is particularly important when working practices or regulations change. Staff should also be encouraged to visit the office from time to time to maintain contact.

Inform, CPS News and other relevant publications are issued to help staff keep in touch with their working environment.
Publications are distributed on a weekly basis by Service Centre Personnel/Communications Branch for HQ staff.

The Scheme provides an opportunity for absent staff to return to the Department for short-term assignments of paid work appropriate to their level. This provides an opportunity for staff to undertake short spells of employment and training to help them keep abreast of developments. This facility can be usefully employed to cover seasonal increases of work or staff shortages.
The decision to return for short-term work assignments is entirely voluntary and it is recognised that domestic or other circumstances may prevent an officer from taking up an offer.
ABMs/HR Services for HQ staff are responsible, in liaison with line managers, for the administrative arrangements for short term assignments of paid work.