Introduction
We are responsible for producing and publishing data and intelligence on the social service workforce in Scotland under the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001.
We are an Accredited Official Statistics provider which means we comply with the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA) Code of Practice for Statistics.
We produce workforce data, information and intelligence that supports planning for the development of the social service workforce and services. This is to make sure that services are available for people who receive care and support.
Organisations that use our data and intelligence are involved in the planning of social services and policy implementation, both at national and local levels, for example Scottish Government, COSLA, local authorities and health and social care partnerships.
The data also helps private and voluntary sector organisations that deliver care services. Other bodies, organisations and individuals who use our data include the media, trade unions and representative bodies, for example the Scottish Association of Social Workers.
We also publish other data reports using workforce data and reports using our Register and fitness to practise data.
All our publications (reports and data sets) are available on our Workforce Data website(Opens new window).
Our publications
Main publications
We publish five main reports each year.
- Scottish Social Services Workforce Data report(Opens new window) (an official and accredited statistics publication) using the Local Authority Social Work Services (LASWS) survey data and workforce data collected by the Care Inspectorate from all registered care services.
- Mental Health Officers report(Opens new window) (an official and accredited statistics publication) using data from the LASWS survey.
- Joint Care Inspectorate/SSSC Vacancy report(Opens new window) using data from the Inspectorate’s collection.
- December whole time equivalent social work numbers and vacancies in local authorities using data from the LASWS survey.
- June whole time equivalent social work numbers and vacancies in local authorities using data from the LASWS survey.
Other reports
We’ve published snapshot reports using our registration and fitness to practise data to help build a unique picture of the social work, social care and children and young people workforce.
Other reports include:
- Analysis of registrant equality data
- Economic and social value of the UK adult social care sector: Scotland.