An outreach service which supports young people who are homeless- or at risk- has been handed a favourable review from the Care Inspectorate following a spot check.
Q-Connects Support Service, based in Ayr’s Chalmers Road, was graded as ‘very good’ across two quality indicators.
The gradings come in the wake of an unannounced inspection at the service in January with the findings now made public.
Among the key messages the Care Inspectorate said young people receive “high quality” and “tailored support” from “skilful and compassionate” workers.
They were “listened to” and “treated with respect and compassion.”
In addition, the staff team has a “strong understanding” of risk and ‘worked well’ with partner professionals where there are concerns about the wellbeing or safety of young people using the service.
And staffing arrangements are “flexible” and “support good outcomes” for young people.
Another plus point was the staff team who “works together well,” “sharing knowledge and expertise,” to ensure that young people’s needs “are met as effectively as possible.”
Q-Connects is registered as a support service for young people aged between 14 and 26 and is operated by Quarriers. Q-Connects is an outreach service that supports young people in the community who are homeless or at risk of homelessness from a wide range of backgrounds and support needs.
At the time of the inspection the service had teams supporting young people in South Ayrshire and East Ayrshire, and the service has “expanded significantly” over the past few years.
Quarriers also provides a registered housing support service from the same address which is known as Quarriers’ South Ayrshire Youth Support Service (Q-SAYS) and supports young people aged between 16 and 26 to maintain their own tenancies in self-contained flats adjacent.
An extract from the Care Inspectorate report said: “We found significant strengths in aspects of the care provided and how these supported positive outcomes for people.
“People being supported by Q-Connects were treated with respect and compassion. They were acknowledged as experts in their own experiences, needs and wishes.
“Support plans were made in partnership with young people and these were highly personalised and specific to their individual needs.”
In the quality indicators relating to staff team and supporting people’s wellbeing, these were both graded ‘very good.’
The report continues: “Young people were supported thoughtfully and skilfully, evidencing that staff members had a good understanding of the impact of trauma and challenging circumstances. Young people told us that they felt that they could rely upon their workers and the wider service, that they were ‘on the ball’, ‘always did what they said they would’, and were clear about their role.”
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