SSSC Launch New Annual Report

The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) has published its fourth annual report. The report highlights the progress the regulatory body for the social service workforce in Scotland is making towards raising standards of practice, increasing the professionalism of the workforce and increasing the protection of the people who use social services and their carers.

The SSSC was established in 2001 to register key groups of Scotland’s 138,000 social services workers and to regulate their education and training.

Morag Alexander, Convener of the SSSC said: “The SSSC is committed to being open, transparent and accountable in its objectives. This annual report highlights our successes throughout the year, the substantial progress, both for us as an organisation and also for the social services sector.”

Highlights 2005/06 include:

• the register was opened to three new groups of workers
• the second successful Care Accolades was held – an awards ceremony that celebrates good practice and excellence in social services
• the official launch of the sector skills council for the sector, Skills for Care and Development took place. As the sector skills council, we will work with employers to address workforce development issues in the social services sector to help ensure that we have a workforce that is fit for the future
• published the timescales for registering groups of workers in phase two and consulted on post registration fees and Post Registration Training and Learning (PRTL) requirements for these workers
• set PRTL requirements for newly qualified social workers. In future newly qualified social workers will have to meet additional training requirements, which will build upon and further develop their skills ensuring that they will be competent and confident social workers.

A copy of the SSSC annual report 2005 – 2006 can be requested by phoning 0845 60 30 891 or downloaded on the SSSC website – www.sssc.uk.com