Skills for Care and Development

Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) replaced National Training Organisations in March 2002. SSCs are employer-led bodies with responsibility for identifying and tackling issues of skills, productivity and employability for the private, public and voluntary sectors they represent.

The key aims of SSCs are 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, including action on equal opportunities
improve learning supply, including apprenticeships, higher education and national occupational standards.

The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), in conjunction with its sister organisations: Care Council for Wales, Skills for Care (formerly TOPPS England), the Children's Workforce Development Council and the Northern Ireland Social Care Council, has been approved as the Sector Skills Council for social care: Skills for Care and Development. For further information click to read the SfCD leaflet.

Sector Skills Development Agency

The Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) will operate UK-wide to fund, support and monitor the work of SSCs. Full details of the work of the SSDA and SSCs can be obtained from the SSDA website.

Partnerships

In fulfilling its role as an aspirant Sector Skills Council, the SSSC works in partnership with a number of professional bodies including:

Care Council for Wales (CCW) website: www.ccwales.org.uk

Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC) website: www.niscc.info

Skills for Care website: www.skillsforcare.org.uk

Skills for Health website: www.skillsforhealth.org.uk

Skills for Justice website: www.skillsforjustice.com