Roundabout and Sheffield Youth Offending Service (YOS) have developed this scheme to provide additional support, particularly but not exclusively on housing issues, for young people aged 16 to 18 who are in contact with the YOS.

This may be young people leaving custodial sentences, on a community sentence or receiving pre-sentence intervention.

YOS workers refer young people need of housing directly to the scheme. These young people could be in custody with no housing identified to go to on release, in temporary accommodation such as Bed & Breakfast, their own tenancy, at home or any other situation.

The resettlement worker works with young people to help find suitable accommodation and ensure they are adequately housed and supported. This could be in supported accommodation, their own tenancy or to return to their family. The support offered by the scheme can continue once the young person has been placed in accommodation, either by providing tenancy support if they are in their own tenancy or additional support to a supported housing provider.

A full assessment with the young person identifies, as well as housing needs, any issues which may affect the young person’s chance of gaining and maintaining suitable accommodation. Support is provided to help motivate and assist each young person through the process of building stability and independence in their life. Close liaison with the young person’s YOT officer ensures that they receive good and consistent advice and support to work towards a more positive future.

In 2009 Roundabout and YOS opened one unit of accommodation to house young people as they are released from custody on a short term basis.