August 2025

L’Arche Highland is celebrating a glowing report from the Care Inspectorate following an unannounced inspection of its housing support service in May 2025. The service, which supports adults with learning disabilities in Inverness and the surrounding area, received a “Very Good” (Grade 5) rating in all three inspected areas: supporting wellbeing, quality of staff, and care and support planning.

The inspector praised L’Arche Highland for creating a warm, inclusive Community where the people they support – known as core members – are at the centre of everything the service does. The report highlighted that people were leading “active, enjoyable and fulfilling lives” and were “very well supported in their homes and community.”

Family members and people supported described staff as “easy to get on with,” “really good,” and “always approachable.” The inspector noted that staff were “knowledgeable, considerate and motivated,” and that management demonstrated “strong values” and a commitment to continuous improvement.

The inspection also commended L’Arche Highland’s robust recruitment, training, and planning processes, including the use of detailed and personalised support plans. These ensured that each person’s wishes, goals, and wellbeing needs were understood and met in “just the right way.”

Lorraine Mackenzie, Registered Manager of the Supported Living service said:

“I am particularly proud of our teams of support workers and leaders. They regularly go above and beyond to ensure our core members get the most out of every day. Despite the challenging times in this sector, the quality of delivery has not faltered. The support of family members and guardians has been invaluable. We will continue to work hard and on our continuous improvement journey to ensure our core members receive the best support we are able to offer.”

Chris Gehrke, Community Leader, L’Arche Highland and Head of Operations, Scotland said:

“It is really affirming to receive such praise for our services from the regulator as we celebrate 50 years of L’Arche in Inverness. I have deep gratitude for all that is done to deliver consistently high levels of support to our core members by our excellent staff."

The full inspection report is available on the Care Inspectorate website.

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