Glossary

Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC)
The SSSC is the organisation responsible for registering key groups of people who work in social services and regulating their education and training.

Social service workers

A social service worker is someone who provides a care service. They could be for example a social worker, someone who works in a care home service or a nursery worker.

Social worker

A social worker works with people who use services to assess their care requirements and works alongside other professionals and agencies to ensure that people who use services receive the support they need. They can work with many different groups of people including children and families, adults, older people and offenders. A social worker must hold a recognised social work qualification.

Social care worker
Social care workers provide direct care and support to help people who use services lead an active life in society. They can work in many different settings including home care, independent living, care home services for adults, supported accommodation and day care services.

Registration
Registration is the process that social service workers go through to become registered. This involves the worker filling out a form about their qualifications and training, providing evidence of good character and having an Enhanced Disclosure Scotland check carried out on their behalf. The application will then be verified and endorsed by their current social services employer or their equivalent. The application is then assessed and the worker is added to the Register if they meet the criteria set by the SSSC.

The Public Register (or the Register)
The Public Register is a list of all social service workers who meet the standards which have been set out by the SSSC. The Public Register will contain the social service workers name, registration number and postal town of their work address. Workers are being registered in phases but eventually all social service workers will have the chance to register. More information about the groups set so far can be found in the registration section of this website.

Codes of Practice for Social Service Workers and Employers
Codes of Practice are responsibilities and standards that employers and employees within the social services must follow. Social service workers must agree to follow the Codes in order to be registered. A copy of the Codes can be requested by calling 0845 60 30 891 or by clicking the link below.

Codes of Practice in pdf

Codes of Practice in text

Enhanced Disclosure Scotland Check
Disclosure Scotland issues certificates - known as "Disclosures" - which give details of an individual's criminal convictions or states that they have none. Each worker needs to have an Enhanced Disclosure Scotland check before they can be registered. This check tells us whether the worker has any criminal convictions.

Advocate or advocacy
A person independent of any aspect of the service or any of the statutory agencies involved in purchasing or providing the service. An Advocate or advocacy service acts on behalf of, and in the interests of, the person using the service. An advocate can help someone to represent themselves.

Carer
A person who supports or looks after a family member, their partner or a friend in need of help because they are ill, frail or have a disability. The care they provide is unpaid.