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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Tracy Carmichael

Inspectors heap praise on former 'cause for concern' childrens' unit in Renfrewshire

Inspectors have heaped praise on a controversial Bishopton children's home.

The Good Shepherd Centre was commended by a team from watchdog the Care Inspectorate, who visited the secure unit in April.

They rated care at the site - which provides accommodation for up to 19 youngsters aged between 12 and 18 - as 'good' or 'very good' across all five categories.

Staff, the setting and support for the wellbeing of children and young people resident at the centre were all graded 'very good', while leadership and care planning were rated as 'good'.

The centre, based at the village's Greenock Road, hit the headlines in 2009 after the deaths of troubled teens Neve Lafferty and Georgia Rowe.

A Fatal Accident Inquiry into the deaths of Helensburgh girl Neve, 15 and 14-year-old pal Georgia, found that the deaths of two girls could have been avoided if the care home had taken greater precautions.

The troubled pair died in an apparent suicide pact following a string of personal tragedies after they left the Bishopton centre on the evening of October 4, 2009.

Sheriff Ruth Anderson QC, ruled following a 2011 Inquiry that their deaths were attributable to suicide and that they may have been avoided had "reasonable precautions been taken".

But the Good Shepherd Centre had been praised by inspectors in recent years.

In the latest report, the probe team concluded following an unannounced visit that "the COIVD-19 pandemic has created various challenges for staff" but recognised that they had "worked incredibly hard to continue to provide a high level of care and support to young people".

The four-strong team met young residents during the five day inspection.

They reported that: "Almost all of the young people were happy with the level of care and support they were receiving", and said the "structure and routine created by the staff benefitted them and enabled a sense of calm within their houses".

Youngsters resident at the centre were "aware" that "staffing had been a challenge" but said it had not "impacted upon the care they received".

However, they complained about the quality of food provided, saying: "They considered their diet not to be enjoyable or healthy."

Centre bosses said they had plans to ensure young residents "benefitted from a balanced and tasty diet".

Inspectors also interviewed six parents who were found to be mostly "very happy with the quality of care and support being given to their young people" and commended " resources available within the centre" as a "major strength", as well as praising the relationships between staff and young people.

But they called for "better communication from the service, both in

relation to updates and general contact", complaining that: "at times, it was difficult to get through to the houses and they wished for more communication being initiated by staff".

Workers at the centre were also praised for nurturing "positive relationships" and promoting "positive activities with young people", as well as offering "guidance, where appropriate".

Their handling of difficult situations was also praised by the team, who found: "Staff were observed providing measured and appropriate challenge to comments and actions that could potentially escalate".

Residents told how they "felt respected" and said "their rights were promoted", with inspectors noting: "It was particularly encouraging to hear young people who were relatively new to the service speak positively about the staff's approach to ensuring they settled into the house and took opportunities to promote positive relations between the young people".

The inspection team also praised staff's approach to tense occasions, adding: "We saw staff using trauma informed techniques to help young people and we found that the use of restraint was only being used in circumstances where young people and staff needed protection."

Inspections are graded on a scale of one to six, with six graded as excellent.

The centre admits young people through the Children's Hearing system on welfare grounds, or who are remanded or sentenced by the courts.

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