A CENTRE for vulnerable children has been praised for treating its young people with “compassion, dignity, and respect”.

St Mary’s Kenmure, in Bishopbriggs, was given a glowing report by inspectors, who also showered praise on staff for the quality of care at the facility. 

The East Dunbartonshire hub is a secure accommodation service that provides 24 beds for young people, aged between 11 and 18, from difficult backgrounds. 

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Officers from the Care Inspectorate, which regulates social services, visited the centre over video call in February and published a report this week. 

In the document, inspectors, who spoke to 13 young people living at the site, rated the hub as “very good” overall, the second highest ranking.

The report read: “Young people felt safe and some mentioned that respect for staff and other young people was important and promoted by staff. 

“Young people confirmed that they were involved in their care plans and one young person described how they had been supported to express their views and have things move at their pace.

“A number of young people described how they had made progress and talked about how they had been helped to manage their emotions and, in particular, how to manage anger.

“All of the young people we spoke to described positive, supportive relationships with staff. The social workers and parents we spoke with agreed that relationships were good. 

“There was a nurturing environment, with young people enjoying physical interaction in a way that suited them.” 

Inspectors also praised the centre – which hit the headlines following a riot in 2008 – for staff’s leadership and the organised structures behind its care. 

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However, they did raise some concern about the current system of debriefing employees following incidents. 

The report added: “In the face of the additional challenges posed by Covid-19, they [the staff] have done a remarkable job of providing support and security to young people. 

“In addition, unit managers have provided a sense of security and continuity of care throughout.”