Inspectors have revealed that shortcomings among staff at Ross-shire Women’s Aid have left women and children “at risk of harm”.
The Dingwall-based refuge and outreach support centre has faced criticism from the Care Inspectorate for its “lack of support” and inadequate management.
These failings were uncovered during an unannounced two-day visit in August, resulting in a weak rating and a call for significant improvements.
A report released by inspectors this week sheds light on the extent of the oversights affecting the care provided to women, children, and young people.
However, bosses at the refuge say they are disappointed that the inspectors failed to acknowledge the “devastating impact” of an unexpected £50,000 funding cut by the Highland Council which has “directly affected” staffing and the ability to deliver services.
A spokesperson said: “We are a dedicated team committed to delivering the best possible support given our challenges.
“We wish the women and children of Ross-shire, Kyle and Lochalsh to know that we will do our best to help them.”
Inspectors concerned about lack of support at Ross-shire Women’s Aid
The inspectors said that women and children were at risk of harm due to faults with child and adult protection policies.
They said that concerns raised to Women’s Aid were not dealt with in a timely manner, leaving service users vulnerable.
Meanwhile, inspectors also identified a lack of support for users.
The report said: “We found there was a lack of support for those using the service. A woman told us ‘We have to seek our own support no one is coming to ask us’. When reviewing the time woman received with staff from the service, we found that this was not planned on a regular basis. This left the woman feeling unsupported and upset with the lack of support.
“There was a lack of knowledge around the needs of those using the service. A woman told us, ‘My children wonder why there are no activities organised anymore’.
“We found this was due to the service suspending this service at the moment. This meant there was a lack of support for children and their parents.”
Staffing, management and leadership were also identified as an issue.
The Care Inspectorate found that some staff were not registered with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), which left them unable to undertake their roles.
Meanwhile, recruitment of a new manager has still not been carried out leaving women unsure as to who is running the service. One woman told inspectors: “I don’t know who is in charge.”
Staff absences were also found to directly affect service delivery as staff failed to undergo regular training.
In addition, staff were found to have failed to review risk assessments and update personal plans when significant events had happened.
Inspectors are requesting significant improvements are made to ensure the standard of care to users is met.
Despite concerns, staff were rated adequate for planned care and support.
‘The report has not recognised the progress we’ve made in recent months’
Staff at Ross-shire Women’s Aid slammed the report for failing to highlight the challenges and improvements made in recent months.
Bosses claim the report failed to highlight the £50,000 funding cut imposed by the Highland Council, or speak to enough service users to merit a fair representation of their work.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Ross-shire Women’s Aid said: “We acknowledge the findings of the Care Inspectorate’s report including the identified areas for improvement and will take the findings into account making improvements where needed moving forward.
“That said, the report has not recognised the progress we’ve made in recent months, despite funding and staff attrition challenges.
“It has not acknowledged the devastating impact of an unexpected £50,000 funding cut by the Highland Council which directly affected our staffing and our ability to deliver services.
“Our staffing was further affected by staff attrition and the time it took to recruit and train new staff. The report only obtained feedback from three service users which cannot possibly reflect the full range of impact of our services across the region.
“Our services are increasingly sought after given there is a greater awareness of domestic abuse. We are a dedicated team committed to delivering the best possible support given our challenges.
“We wish the women and children of Ross-shire, Kyle and Lochalsh to know that we will do our best to help them.”
Highland Council has been approached for comment.
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