Scottish Social Services Council - registration requirements: consultation on proposed changes

Introduction

Social services is one of Scotland’s largest sectors, employing approximately 210,000 individuals across social work, social care and children and young people’s services – making up roughly 8% of Scotland’s employed population. Those working in social services are often supporting the most vulnerable members of our society. It is vital that they are equipped with the appropriate skills, behaviours, values and approaches to enable them to undertake this work.

Registration and regulation of the social services workforce are long-standing elements of Scottish Ministers’ policy to improve social services quality of delivery, workforce standards and public protection. Registration and regulation achieve this through:

• Upskilling the workforce through requiring registered workers to achieve at least minimum specific qualifications
• Requiring compliance with Codes of Practices for workers and employers which ensure proper support is in place for workers including encouraging training and development of the workforce through requiring completion of post-registration training and learning
• Ensuring that those receiving care and support are protected through the SSSC’s responsibility to investigate fitness to practise concerns raised regarding workers who are, or apply to be, on their register. Following investigation, the SSSC can take appropriate action, including removing an individual from the Register if required