Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) aim to ensure that public training resources and funding are directed at the priority skills needs of all sectors. They have been established by the Government and have four key goals:

• to reduce skills gaps and shortages
• improve productivity, business and public service performance
• increase opportunities to boost the skills and productivity of everyone in the sector's workforce
• improve learning supply including apprenticeships higher education and National Occupational Standards (NOS)

Skills for Care & Development, the Sector Skills Council in Scotland covers all private, public and voluntary providers in the following sub-sectors:

• early years and childcare
• adult residential care
• housing support
• residential child care
• domiciliary care
• adult day care
• local authority field social work
• adoption and fostering services

In 2005 the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) was granted the licence to become the Sector Skills Council, Skills for Care & Development, in Scotland. Skills for Care & Development in Scotland is located within the Scottish Social Services Council.  The partners of the alliance for the UK social service sector are: the SSSC; Care Council for Wales; Northern Ireland Social Care Council; Skills for Care (adult social care England); Children’s Workforce Development Council (England); and General Social Care Council (GSCC).

The Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) has responsibility for monitoring the performance of each SSC.