Sunderland Youth Offending Service has received funding up to April 2008 to develop a Rehabilitation and Aftercare RAP Programme.

The RAP scheme provides additional resources to work with young people leaving custody who have an identified substance misuse problem. DTO Support Workers work alongside community supervision and ISSP staff supervising young people on licence and external services are commissioned

to provide other support i.e. accommodation, leisure activities etc. A small flexible fund is available for emergency purchases to support young people in crisis.

The scheme commenced in early 2005, with a requirement that up to 25 hours of activity is available to each young person. The 25 hours of activity can include:

• ongoing access to substance misuse and mental health treatment
  
• support to access accommodation
  
• education training and employment
  
• positive use of leisure time
  
• peer and family support work.