Report: Scottish Social Services Council 2018/19 Annual Report

The report from the regulator says it has successfully delivered its major digital transformation programme in 2018/2019. This included several new and upgraded systems alongside new IT equipment during 2019, at the same time as a 35% increase in applications to the Register as the 2020 date for mandatory registration of support workers in care at home and housing support services approaches.

Some highlights from the 2018/2019 Annual Report include:

• One of our primary functions is to register people working in social services. The number of applications and renewals we receive and process during the year continues to grow substantially, with 35% more applications received during 2018/19 than in 2017/18 (54,694 to 73,587). The number of people registered has increased by 21% to 127,863 from 105,352 last year.
• The learning and development of the social service workforce is a focus so that registrants continue to use and understand the SSSC Codes of Practice to develop their learning and skills. We developed and maintained our Open Badges web platform to recognise the application of learning from our resources into practice. At the end of 2018/19, there were 9,552 learners registered for Open Badges, double the 4,500 registered at the end of 2017/18. We issued 4,000 in 2018/19 compared to 2,270 in 2017/18.
• We piloted a ‘meet your regulator’ roadshow in March 2019 as an SSSC one-stop shop where registrants could meet the Chief Executive and staff from our Registration, Fitness to Practise and Learning and Development departments. 76% of people rated the event four or five, with five being excellent. Since the pilot we’ve hosted a further two roadshows across Scotland with more planned for 2020.
• We received 3,617 fitness to practise referrals in 2018/19 compared to 3,001 in 2017/18. This increase reflects the growing Register. We can also rely on more accurate data on referrals and those cases requiring more information to allow us to make a decision on whether to progress further.

Acting SSSC Chief Executive, Maree Allison said: “We’re heading into 2019/20 focused on our customers and building on the investment we’ve already made in our digital services to SSSC registrants. We want to make it easier for registrants to find the information they need to keep their registration and learning up to date.

“This year we published seven reports, including a new report into the impact of this workforce on our economy. These reports provide essential data, statistics and information on the social service workforce in Scotland and are used nationally to help providers make sure they have the right people working in the sector with the right skills, now and in the future.

“We’ll also continue to embed management and governance improvements into the way we work so we are efficient, effective and accountable – all while keeping our role to protect people who use social services and strengthening the professionalism of the workforce at the centre of everything we do.”

Download the SSSC full annual report and accounts 2018/2019.