In April 2009, the Scottish Government passed Statutory Regulations about a phased programme of compulsory registration of key groups of social services workers in: residential child care, day care services for children, adult residential care, care at home and other support services and school care accommodation. The Regulations state that once required registration commences for any group of workers, employers/providers must only employ registered workers in relevant posts and that any new recruits to these posts must achieve registration within six months of commencing employment.
This means that service providers will be committing an offence if, after the date of required registration, they employ or continue to employ, a worker in a service who is not registered with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) or another relevant regulatory body e.g. the General Teaching Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council.
The Care Inspectorate has to the responsibility for enforcing required registration on behalf of Government. Where workers are not registered appropriately, the Care Inspectorate may make requirements, reflect non-registration in inspection reports and grades and even take enforcement action that could result in the cancellation of registration for care services. The Care Inspectorate may also take steps to report the service provider to the Procurator Fiscal if necessary.
The Care Inspectorate will contact services on an ongoing basis as SSSC registration is required for parts of the social care workforce. In addition, providers will be asked for information about their employees’ registration status through our annual return and this will inform our scrutiny activities such as inspection with each service.
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When do I need to register? |
Last Application date |
Date of required registration |
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Workers in care home services for adults |
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Support workers |
30 September 2014 |
30 September 2015 |
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Workers in day care of children services |
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Workers in housing support services |
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Managers |
31 July 2013 |
31 January 2014 |
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Supervisors |
To be announced |
2017 |
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Support workers |
To be announced |
To be announced |
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Workers in care at home services |
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Supervisors |
To be announced |
2017 |
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Support workers |
To be announced |
2020 |
Remember, the Care Inspectorate does not register members of the workforce. Any questions about registration of the workforce should be directed to the SSSC (www.sssc.uk.com) or by calling their helpline on 0345 60 30 891.
Guidance for social care workers applying can be found here.
Guidance for verifying and endorsing applications can be found here.