Midlothian services receive mixed report from inspectors

A support service for domestic abuse victims has received a glowing inspection report from a Scottish Government-funded watchdog body.

Women’s Aid East and Midlothian (WAEM) provides information, support and temporary accommodation to women and their children who have experienced domestic abuse.

Its Children’s Service provides care for a maximum of 25 children and young people (CYPs) aged between 2-16.

Staffing, care and support provided by WAEM’s Housing Support and Children’s Services were deemed to be Excellent, while both the quality of management and leadership within each service was scored as Very Good.

Meanwhile, Midlothian Council’s adoption service has been heavily criticised by the government-funded watchdog the Care Inspectorate.

In a recently-published report, inspectors labelled the quality of care and support provided by the service as ‘weak’ and gave it the lowest score in Scotland.

Their assessment follows an unannounced inspection at the Mayfield base of the Adoption Service in May.

Of 38 adoption services graded, the Midlothian Council score of 2 (weak) for Quality of Care and Support was the lowest in all of Scotland.

Its grades for Quality of Staffing and Quality of Leadership and Management were 4 (Good) and 3 (Adequate).