• employers
• training providers
• funders of training

Sector Skills Agreements aim to ensure that public training resources and funding are directed at the priority skills needs of all sectors. SSAs outline how the SSC and employers will work with providers and funders to secure the necessary supply of training and outline how this goal will be achieved. Agreements aim to be forward looking, evidence based, driven by employers, action focussed and comprehensive.

The Scottish Social Services Council (as part of Skills for Care and Development, the Sector Skills Council for the social services sector) has developed a Sector Skills Agreement for the sector. The Sector Skills Agreement (SSA) has been developed in collaboration with employers, partners and key stakeholders in the social services sector.

How was the Sector Skills Agreement developed?

Each Sector Skills Agreement has five stages:

Stage 1: A sophisticated assessment is made of each sector to determine short-term, medium-term and long-term skills needs, and to map out the factors for change in the sector.

Stage 2: Current training provision across all levels is reviewed to measure its range, nature and employer relevance.

Stage 3: The main gaps and weaknesses in workforce development are analysed and priorities are agreed.

Stage 4: A review is conducted into the scope for collaborative action – engaging employers to invest in skills development to support improved business performance – and an assessment is made into what employers are likely to sign up to.

Stage 5: The final outcome is an agreement of how the SSC and employer will work with key funding partners to secure the necessary supply of training.

Written reports were prepared as part of stages 1, 2, 3 and 5 of the SSA for the Scottish social services sector. These reports can be accessed from the column on the right-hand side of this webpage.

Implementation of the SSA

Regular updates on the implementation of the Sector Skills Agreement will be available via the SSSC’s ebulletin, newsletter and website.

How to contact us

For further information about the Sector Skills Agreement for the social services sector contact Mike Docherty on 01382 207266 or e-mail mike.docherty@sssc.uk.com

Sector Skills Agreement events

As part of Skills for Care and Development, the Sector Skills Council for the social services sector, the SSSC developed the Sector Skills Agreement (SSA) in partnership with employers, training providers and funders of training.

The following slides were presented to delegates at the Skills to Deliver joint conference in Edinburgh on Thursday 28 May 2009.

The following slides were presented to delegates at the recent SSA event for employers in Edinburgh on Tuesday 10 March 2009. These highlight some of the key areas of work undertaken with our stakeholders, involved in the implementation of the SSA.

Get Skilled magazine

We produce a special edition SSSC newsletter which describes the Sector Skills Agreement and the work that is underway to implement it.

• Get Skilled issue three - Autumn 2009
• Get Skilled issue two - Spring 2009
• Get Skilled issue one - Winter 2008

Intelligence

Intelligence is a SSSC bulletin aimed at helping employers find out more about planning for the Scottish socal services workforce for the future.  The SSSC will produce a number of these bulletins to provide intelligence on key skills and social service workforce issues.

The first issue looks at migrant workers in the Scottish social service workforce - Intelligence Issue 1 - migrant workers

If you have any feedback or details of how you have used these briefings please email Neil MacLeod at neil.macleod@sssc.uk.com