Wednesday, 23 December 2009 14:57

The SSSC has published its Annual Report for 2008 to 2009.

 

23 December 2009

 

For immediate release

 

A skilled and confident social service workforce means better services and better outcomes for the people who use them

 

Over the last year major changes have taken place to Scotland's social service workforce working towards better services, better outcomes for the people who use them and leading towards a stronger, skilled and confident workforce.

 

The SSSC's eighth annual report highlights the changes taking place to make sure a qualified, motivated and regulated workforce provides social services in the future.

 

These highlights include:

• the Scottish Government's announcement of required registration for key groups of social services workers, including residential child care workers and managers of care home services for adults. Every worker on the SSSC Register has to meet high standards of practice, hold or gain qualifications and commit to developing their skills and practice though post registration training and learning. There was a 35 per cent increase in registrants between 2008 and 2009.
• Scotland is leading the way with ground breaking childhood practice standards which lead to a Childhood Practice award for managers in early year services such as nurseries. This course and others approved by the SSSC such as the degree in social work all offer flexible entry and provide recognition of prior learning (RPL) which means workers can use previous experience to access courses and to get advanced entry
• the launch of the Continuous Learning Framework (CLF), a first for the social service workforce. The CLF will improve the quality of outcomes for people using social services by supporting the people who provide the service to be the best they can be. The CLF helps employers to support the learning and development of their workforce which in turn helps workers grow in confidence and improve their practice.

Garry Coutts, Convener of the SSSC said:
"This annual report shows the work the work of the SSSC is significant for social service workers in Scotland and makes sure that people receive effective services from a safe and skilled workforce. This is only possible by working with employees, employers, the Scottish Government, colleges and universities and people who use services. We plan to continue working with these key partners to achieve our vision of a competent, confident and valued workforce providing social services of the highest quality".

 

Download  SSSC annual report 2008-2009 (1.36 MB)

 

ENDS

Notes to the editor

 

Media enquiries - Vanessa Glenday, Information and Communications Officer, 01382 207267, vanessa.glenday@sssc.uk.com

 

The SSSC was set up in October 2001 under the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001.

Its objectives are:

• to protect those who use services
• to raise standards of practice
• to strengthen and support the professionalism of the workforce.

The SSSC has five main tasks:

• to establish registers of key groups of social services staff
• to publish Codes of Practice for all social services staff and for employers
• to regulate the training and education of the workforce
• to undertake the functions of Skills for Care and Development, the sector skills council for the social care, children's' and young people's workforce and this includes workforce planning
• to promote education and training.

Each country in the UK has its own regulatory body. They are: the Care Council for Wales, the General Social Care Council (England), the Northern Ireland Social Care Council and the Scottish Social Services Council. The Councils are each responsible for the registration and regulation of social services workers in their country. They work in co-operation with other regulatory bodies such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

For further information about the SSSC please visit: www.sssc.uk.com