A care provider near Mauchline and Drongan has been ranked as "very good" by the industry watchdog for Scotland.

The Care Inspectorate has issued a report following a visit to the Foxhill Cottage school care accommodation service in Stair.

Run by Spark of Genius, the facility is registered to care for a maximum of five young people aged between 10 and 20 years of age.

The nearby Chestnut Cottage provides accommodation for a further one young person.

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The service provides residential accommodation for the young people while their educational needs are met through attendance at Spark of Genius learning centres or within mainstream education.

At the time of the inspection, there were five young people living in Foxhill Cottage and a young person living in Chestnut Cottage.

During the inspection, the Care Inspectorate team spoke with four people using the service and one of their family member, staff and management and visiting professionals.

Overall, the service was provided with a rating of 'very good'.

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The report read: "When young people live in Foxhill they are kept safe, both physically and emotionally.

"Relationships are at the heart of the house and there were examples of excellence in relation to the outcomes for some young people.

"Significant events are celebrated and success is praised.

"When young people wanted to do something, this was celebrated and the staff made a concerted effort to promote young people's aims."

One person told inspectors: : "I want to stay here and I am not ready for my own flat. I feel really safe because of the staff and manager here.

"I like how I get treated and made to feel special."

The report added that the majority of young people were achieving and making progress.

Some young people were working, others were trying to link back into education after gaps in their learning.

The majority of the young people were learning to drive, and some young people had been enabled to buy a car for when they passed their test.

Areas for improvement identified after a previous inspection had also been met, according to the report.