St Mary’s Kenmure given ‘unsatisfactory’ rating after watchdog visit

We told earlier this week how a distraught dad claimed his daughter was able to get hold of a knife and access a teenage murderer’s room at St Mary’s Kenmure in Bishopbriggs – one of a string of allegations made by the man against bosses at the complex.

Now a Care Inspectorate document published on Monday has brought to light a host of other serious concerns – with bosses at the facility given until January to introduce improvements or face further action.

The watchdog already issued the facility - which provides highly specialist secure support and intervention for youngsters aged 11 to 18 - with an Improvement Notice in October after an unannounced five-day visit at the end of September.

Shocked inspectors found that there was a serious risk to the life, health and wellbeing of those currently using the service if more young people were admitted.

The latest report has revealed more details of the inspectors’ latest findings, including dangerously low staffing levels, how young people were subject to, or witnessed, high levels of physical restraint and the poor state of the living accommodation.

St Mary’s Kenmure (Image: Gordon Terris) The Glasgow Times understands the watchdog spoke with 12 young people using the service and 28 staff and managers to establish its findings.

A section of the report says that over the course of the inspection, the watchdog developed ‘serious concerns about the safety of young people living in St. Mary's’.

It added: “We found door security regularly being breached by young people and failures by staff to appropriately secure the environment.

“We found a workforce that wanted to protect young people, but frequently the number of staff on shift was not sufficient to meet the ratios identified in young people's support plans. The numbers of staff deployed in the service was not responsive enough to meet the needs of all of the young people all of the time. We found times where staffing levels were dangerously low and managers had failed to govern the rota to ensure safety. This created unsafe situations where without the involvement of the police there could have been incredibly serious outcomes.”

The report also flagged issues with the suitability of the accommodation.

READ MORE: St Mary’s Kenmure faces fresh Care Inspectorate investigation

It said: “Whilst there had been attempts to improve the environment, overall, the standards remain poor. The general living areas were stark and dining facilities continued to be insufficient for everyone to sit together to eat.

“Bathrooms continued to be an area of concern where young people were living with crumbling plaster, badly stained silicone and toilet water running into bedroom areas from showers that caused damp smells. This is unacceptable and needs immediate attention.”

The north Glasgow-based service runs on a campus-style facility, which is formed by grouping four houses, an education centre, administration hub and a catering complex, all situated around a large central courtyard containing an outdoor recreation area.

Additionally, there are indoor recreational facilities, including a swimming pool and a gymnasium. The accommodation for the young people is single bedrooms with an ensuite toilet. Perimeter security is provided by the buildings and is supplemented by CCTV monitored by a designated team of operations staff.

As a result of the damning findings from the Care Inspectorate’s latest visit, St Mary’s Kenmure bosses must now act to ensure that quality assurance systems are implemented and used effectively to safely and consistently care for children and young people, with a deadline for all improvements ordered of January 27 next year.

The report adds: “To do this, the provider must, at a minimum, ensure that systems both monitor safe care for children and young people and identify any other necessary improvements.”

The Glasgow Times previously told how a probe was launched into practices amid allegations that a teenage girl had her underwear forcibly removed by staff.  

Relatives of the girl claimed that the vulnerable 15-year-old was left ‘shaken and distressed’ by the incident, however, staff claimed they were forced to intervene due to ‘physical hygiene and self-care issues’.

A spokesperson for St Mary’s Kenmure, said: “We cannot comment on the individual case of any child who has been placed at St Mary’s for obvious legal and privacy reasons. St Mary’s remains committed to providing the best possible care for young people placed here.”

A spokesperson for the Care Inspectorate added "We take all concerns raised with us seriously and consider all information given to us carefully. If we uphold a complaint we publish the outcome on our website."