I have a couple of questions around probation and specifically community offender managers whilst on licence, that I wonder if anyone can give me some advice on? I’ll give you a bit of background.

My COM would like me to do a stay at an approved premises, which I have no problem with and understand that this will be about 8-12 weeks. After this I would like to return to my parents. My parents are both in their 80s, my mum is 83 and suffers with Alzheimers, memory issues but nothing more serious yet. My dad is 81 and is the main carer for my mum, he is fully compos mentis, mobile with no issues at all.

My COM has stated that she will not approve the premises due to the fact that she believes that supporting my elderly parents will cause me too much stress whilst I am trying to adjust being back in the community from an Approved Premises. I don’t have any restrictions about living or working with vulnerable adults, which I believe my mum could be classified as. I do have restrictions about living or working with under-16s but there are none at this property or visiting this property. Stress was not linked to my offending, though depression and isolation, along with breakdown of support network, lack of communication and pornography use was.

My siblings live within 7 miles of my parents’ address, and I feel that the support provided to me by all of my family, outweighs the potential stress of supporting two elderly parents (not that I think I would, as my dad currently does all the caring for my mum).
I do not have the means to rent or buy a property after my stay in an AP, and I doubt the council will look favourably on me, firstly as a single adult male, and then as having a property that I could in fact go to.
So, my first question is can I be recalled to prison, whilst on licence if I don’t have anywhere to live after the AP?

Secondly, does anyone know how I would challenge my COM’s assessment of the property? I, obviously would prefer not to go down this route as I don’t want to create any bad feeling between myself and my COM, as she is managing me for the next few years on licence, but when I have brought up the above points, she just shuts me down with, “We will not approve the address”, so I feel have exhausted my options with her.  Is it possible to ask for a change of COM, has anybody had experience of this?

Thanks