The unannounced inspection of Orkney Young Person’s Accommodation Service resulted in the service being graded fives across the board. Services are graded on a scale of one to six where one is poor and six excellent. 

Orkney Young Persons’ Accommodation Service provides a housing support service to young people experiencing homelessness. The service has accommodation on two sites; one in Kirkwall and the other in Stromness.

The report concluded that ‘evidence from this inspection confirmed overwhelmingly that young people received high quality support to promote their health and wellbeing”.

Key features of the report concluded that: 

• Young people received high quality support
• Excellent relationships with partners supported improved outcomes for young people
• Integrated approaches challenged the effects of health and social inequalities
• Strong leadership motivated a staff team to be confident in their roles.

Meanwhile, in Edinburgh, Right There Your Home Service which provides a housing support service to adults who are transitioning out of homelessness, or are at risk of becoming homeless has also received excellent results. It secured grade fives for all aspects of its services after a short notice, announced inspection. The Boswall Parkway service provides a broad range of support and practical assistance to people and families affected by homelessness.

The inspection found there was a strong emphasis on supporting people to develop social networks and integrate with their local communities. As well as tackling homelessness and supporting people to improve their housing situation and sustain their tenancies, the service strove to reduce social isolation and had forged productive relationships with local community groups.

Key features of the report concluded that: 

• People experienced a high quality of care and support
• People benefited from a service which had strong leadership
• The service worked well and in close collaboration with other agencies to promote people’s rights, health and wellbeing
• The service demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement
• Staff were very well supported in their learning and development
• Staffing arrangements were flexible around people’s individual needs and circumstances.

Right There chief executive, Janet Haugh, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have received such overwhelmingly positive reports from the Care Inspection for our services in Edinburgh and Orkney. 

“Providing support which is tailored to help each individual person to meet them wherever they are in life is what Right There is all about, so to see this ethos translating into tangible results which are actually improving people’s lives is extremely rewarding. 

“These results are purely down to the commitment and hard work of the staff in these programmes, and I am delighted their dedication has paid off.”