Upside Support
Upside is a national throughcare service, available in all parts of Scotland. Throughcare provides people in short-term custody, or remand with the practical and emotional support they need to transition to community life.
The service is voluntary and addresses any issues an individual may have on release like health, housing, finance, skills and employment. Importantly, Upside will also strengthen connections to family support as required.
On admission
On admission, the service will be introduced at prison induction and promoted pro-actively to people by Upside workers, available across the prison estate, to support early engagement.
Pre-release
Upside Workers will meet with the person prior to release. At this stage, the task is to identify and address their immediate needs while laying the groundwork for ongoing support. Upside will engage with any other relevant agencies on the person’s behalf to establish a collaborative, multi-agency support plan for their release. Pre-release planning will involve prison and community services including a planned and supported handover to the person’s Upside worker in the community
On release
On release, the person will be met at the prison gate by their Upside worker, or the person most suited to support their release. They will receive a liberation pack and ongoing support for their critical identified needs such as housing, health or financial issues. Together, they will go through any immediate requirements, accompany them to any appointments and help get them home, or settled in accommodation. They will then make arrangements for the next planned steps and agree further meetings.
After release
In the period following release, this relational support will be sustained through regular and meaningful engagement with the service. This support network will be further strengthened by connecting into the services of organisations best suited to provide any specialist support required. Importantly, individuals will be encouraged and supported to access wider community groups and services that are important to them.
Ongoing support
Upside is person-centred, meaning the support received is guided by the individual and their needs. This support extends to their family and we will work with them too where necessary to ensure the best outcomes for a successful return to the community.
Upside support is also trauma-informed. We understand many people leaving custody will be affected by trauma and we will adjust and tailor support to account for this. We will support recovery in a way that acknowledges the impact of trauma, while addressing it in a safe and considerate way.
Upside support has been designed with input from a great many professionals within the justice system and is based on firm evidence of what works. Most importantly however, the service has had direct input from people with lived experience of the system to ensure it addresses the real needs and challenges they may face.