Job profile

Published: 14 May 2024

Job title: Inspection Planning Manager - Workforce Planning and Data

Responsible for: Planning Co-ordinator

Principal Working Contacts

  • Executive Director of Scrutiny and Assurance
  • Chief Inspectors
  • Service Managers
  • Team Managers
  • Strategic Inspectors
  • Inspectors
  • Business Support staff
  • Managers and employees of the Care Inspectorate
  • External agencies/service providers/service users and carers
  • Education Scotland

Job purpose

To manage and co-ordinate the delivery of national inspection planning across a wide range of social care services and services for children and adults to ensure that the Care Inspectorate makes the best use of its resources and performs effectively and efficiently as an independent scrutiny and improvement body.

Key responsibilities

Strategic management

  • In conjunction with key stakeholders, develop and manage systems and processes to support effective national inspection planning in order to meet corporate aims and objectives.
  • Build and maintain effective partnerships with Education Scotland, Healthcare Improvement Scotland and other scrutiny and improvement partners to support effective and efficient joint inspection planning.
  • In conjunction with key stakeholders develop and deliver strategies, action plans and targets for inspection planning in support of corporate aims and objectives.

Operational management

  • Manage and co-ordinate the effective and efficient delivery of scrutiny and improvement planning activity.
  • Manage and maintain scrutiny plans for the current year and draft plans for subsequent years, ensuring inspection planning activities are consistent with the Care Inspectorate’s objectives and targets.
  • Ensure that the provision of the inspection and capacity planning information is accurate, up-to-date and reliable for managers and staff throughout the organisation to support the planning and delivery of the Care Inspectorate’s scrutiny and improvement functions.
  • Plan and execute the strategic objectives for inspection planning systematically in alignment with the Care Inspectorate’s business objectives.
  • Promote continuous improvement in all aspects of inspection and capacity planning, including quality assurance and consistency of practice.
  • Participate in the recruitment and selection of staff as required.
  • Prepare and present reports to the Chief Inspectors and Executive Director of Scrutiny and Assurance or Executive Team as required.
  • Deputise for senior managers and undertake such other duties as may be required.

People management

  • Lead and manage a team, ensuring that they work effectively and efficiently to meet the aims, objectives and targets of Care Inspectorate.
  • Provide advice, guidance and support to team members through regular one-to-one supervision, performance development reviews and personal development plans to ensure continuous improvement in their work and support their personal and professional development.
  • Coordinate and monitor administrative support to the team
  • Promote consistent, high quality practice amongst team members, manage their performance and monitor their standards and behaviour.  
  • Promote the health, safety and welfare of staff in accordance with Care Inspectorate policies, procedures and guidance.
  • Promote diversity and equality of opportunity, ensuring that these principles are upheld across all areas of work.

Relationship management

  • As a manager, model corporate behaviour and demonstrate a strong commitment to organisational values.
  • Develop effective working relationships within the team and with managers and staff across the organisation ensuring effective collaborative and cross-directorate working.
  • Develop and maintain effective working relationships with partner scrutiny and improvement bodies and other key stakeholders.
  • Contribute to the continuous development of the Care Inspectorate and manage change effectively and creatively.
  • Promote the work of the Care Inspectorate and raise aware of its work in a positive manner.
  • Ensure effective working protocols in accordance with the Care Inspectorate’s Communications, Human Resources, Finance, IT and Operations function.
  • Demonstrate a commitment to the Care Inspectorate’s aims, vision and values and to the Care Inspectorate’s overall objective of improving care in Scotland.
  • Ensure effective communication of the Care Inspectorate’s work with people who use care services, carers, relatives and advocates.

Other duties

This job may require some travel and may involve some overnight stays and unsocial hours.

This job description is a broad picture of the post at the date of preparation. It is not an exhaustive list of all possible duties and it is recognised that jobs change and evolve over time. Consequently, the post holder will be required to carry out any other duties to the equivalent level that are necessary to fulfil the purpose of the job, and to respond positively to changing business needs.

Downloads: 1036

Job profile

Published: 08 July 2024

Job Title: Modern Apprenticeship

Responsible to: Line manager

Principal working contacts

Line manager

Mentor

Buddy

Training provider

Other modern apprentices

Managers and employees

Members of the public

Job purpose

To create a structured pathway for Care Experienced young people (aged 16 – up to the age of 29 for completion of the qualification), to gain practical work experience while pursuing a qualification, we aim to bridge the gap between education and employment. Our programmes offer apprentices the opportunity to earn a salary while acquiring job-specific skills and theoretical knowledge essential for success. This apprenticeship serves as a foundation for mastering office administration, including document handling, communication techniques, and organisational procedures. It combines on the job training with learning, providing a comprehensive understanding of the administrative functions that enhance team efficiency.

Key Accountabilities

  • Operational Management
  • Obtain a recognised qualification and maintain connections with those who encourage learning.
  • Acquire knowledge and gain insight into the organisation and the tasks performed by each team.
  • Handle both incoming and outgoing communication, which includes emails, phone calls and postal mail.
  • Manage routine inquiries and either prioritise or escalate difficult requests.
  • Schedule and book meeting rooms.
  • Keep records up to date and generate data as needed.
  • Assist in maintaining filing systems according to file management policies and procedures.
  • Provide administrative assistance to the team as needed.
  • Maintain standards while collaborating with both staff and members of the public.
  • Make suggestions to improve administrative processes.
  • Carry out your duties in accordance with our Health and Safety policies, procedures, guidance, practices, and legislative requirements, taking reasonable care for your safety and that of others who may be affected by what you do or fail to do while at work.

Relationship Management

  • Provide excellent customer service.
  • Present a professional manner when interacting with staff and members of the public.
  • Adhere to the policies of the organisation and follow team working practices.
  • Engage in team meetings and participate in training activities to improve skills and knowledge.
  • Show dedication to the organisations goals, vision, and values, with the overarching aim of improving social care in Scotland.

Other Duties

This job description is a broad picture of the post at the date of preparation. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties, and it is recognised that jobs change and evolve over time. Consequently, the post holder will be required to carry out any other duties to the equivalent level that are necessary to fulfil the purpose of the job, and to respond positively to changing business needs.

Downloads: 983

We’ve agreed to investigate a complaint

Published: 28 May 2024

Introduction

This leaflet tells you how we will deal with the complaint that has been raised with us now that we have decided it meets our criteria as a complaint that requires formal investigation.

It tells how you can support our investigation and the important role you play in giving us information.

We hope you find this useful but if any of this is not clear to you, please discuss with the inspector who is investigating the complaint.

Our investigation

We aim to establish all the relevant facts and give complainants and those complained against a full, objective, and proportionate response that represents our final position.

It is important that we gather all relevant information about the complaint from the complainant and the complained against. Therefore, it is important that you give our investigating inspector all relevant information and any documents that have a bearing on the areas of the complaint.

Please tell the investigating inspector if you think you have relevant information that they have not asked for.

Where it’s appropriate, we will interview staff members and observe practice within the service. We will need a private space somewhere in the service to speak confidentially with relevant staff and we will ask the service to make this available. We will try to minimise any disruption to the service, but we do recognise that there will be some disruption of the normal day.

We aim to complete our investigation within forty working days. If this timescale needs to be extended, we will tell you why and give you an expected completion date.

Outcomes of investigations

When we have completed our investigation, we will speak to the complainant and the complained against. We will tell them our findings and the conclusion that we have reached. This is an important part of the process as it allows both parties to tell us about any issues, they feel we have not taken account of in reaching our conclusions.

We will then send a report to both the complainant and the complained against giving our findings and stating whether or not the complaint has been upheld.

There are two possible outcomes for a complaint investigation.

Upheld

We say we have upheld a complaint where we have investigated and found evidence to substantiate the allegations made. We may also uphold a complaint when we believe that on the balance of probability the issues raised in the complaint are valid. Where we have upheld a complaint, we may identify action for the service to take. We will also tell the person who has made the complaint about any requirements or areas for improvement we have made of the care service they have complained about.

Not upheld

We say we have not upheld a complaint where we have investigated and found there is a lack of evidence to validate the complaint.

Post investigation review

Once we have sent our complaint report to the complainant and the complained against, each party has ten working days from the date we sent the report to ask for a post investigation review if they have concerns about the outcome. We will not consider a request for review if we receive it after this period of ten working days has expired.

If you believe we have made a mistake in our findings or that we have come to the wrong conclusion, you can ask for a post investigation review by completing the relevant form.

You can ask for a post investigation review if you consider that:

  • we made our decision based on important evidence that was inaccurate and you can show this using readily available information
  • you have new and relevant information that was not previously available about the complaint we investigated, and which affects the decision we made

If you ask for a post investigation review, we will let the other party know we have received a request.

Outcome of the review

Once the ten working days are up, we will consider any request for a review.

We will decide whether to:

  • investigate further
  • update the report to reflect comments received
  • update or change the outcomes of the complaint
  • not make any changes to the outcomes.

We will write to you to explain the outcome of the review and the decision we have reached. If the complaint outcomes have changed, we will issue an amended complaint report and if no changes are made, we will confirm the report you received as final. Both the complainant and complained against will receive this information regardless of who has requested the review. 

Once we have concluded our review and informed you of our final position, no further appeal or review is possible.

We aim to do this within 20 working days of the final date for submission of a post investigation review request.

Once the review has taken place, we will reach our final position and you cannot appeal the complaint outcome.

Once all the relevant steps in the processes described above are completed, and if we decide the service needs to improve, it will have to give us an action plan within fifteen working days, which details how they will improve outcomes for the people who use their service.

We may also regrade a service following a complaint. Where a complaint has been upheld, we will post a summary of the complaint and any requirements or area for improvement that we have made on our website alongside the service’s other information. You can search for individual services by clicking on the Find care tab at the top of our homepage at careinspectorate.com

Downloads: 972

Person specification

Published: 05 August 2024

Job title: Business Support Assistant

Attributes 

Experience

Essential:

  • Demonstrate a successful track record within a similar role.

Desirable:

  • Experience of working with external/internal contacts at all levels.
  • Experience of working within the social care sector.

Education, qualifications and training

Essential:

  • You will be educated to SCQF Level 5

Skills and knowledge

Essential: 

  • Good working knowledge of IT to include word, excel and PowerPoint.
  • Excellent telephone and customer service skills.
  • Good interpersonal skills.
  • Excellent organisational skills.
  • Ability to work on own initiative and prioritisation of workload.
  • Ability to meet deadlines.

Key performance outcomes

Effective communication

  • Portrays a positive image of the Care Inspectorate when communicating both inside the organisation and externally.
  • Selects appropriate communication, style and methods depending on the needs and abilities of the audience.
  •  Listens actively to people, questions and checks understanding.

Planning and organising

  • Uses a systematic approach to make efficient use of time and manage workload.
  • Recognises the need to be flexible to meet changing priorities.
  • Prioritises work effectively to meet deadlines and objectives.

Flexibility

  • Demonstrates a flexible, positive approach to work.
  • Listens to feedback and ideas from people and will take appropriate and considered action.
  • Adapts well to change, adjusting priorities as required.
  • Understands where a flexible approach is required.

Team working

  • Remains tolerant and fair towards others, values diversity and is non-discriminatory in their actions.
  • Values and makes use of the skills, knowledge and experience of others.
  • Works co-operatively and supportively with others.

Please note – these are key performance outcomes to be used to recruit into the role.  

Downloads: 965

Person specification

Published: 27 August 2024

Job title: Customer Support Adviser

Attributes 

Experience

Essential:

  • Demonstrate a successful track record within a similar role.

Desirable:

  • Experience of working with external/internal contacts at all levels. 
  • Experience of working within the social care sector.

Education, qualifications and training

Essential:

Desirable:

  • NVQ/SVQ level 2 or 3 in Customer Service or Call Handling.

Skills and knowledge

Essential:

  • Excellent communication skills.
  • Excellent verbal communication techniques in order to draw out and gather correct information and gain confidence from caller.
  • Knowledge of customer service principles and practice.
  • Listening skills.
  • Problem solving skills.
  • Good data entry/keyboard skills
  • Ability to work on own initiative and prioritisation of workload.
  • Ability to meet deadlines.
  • Ability to use own judgement within identified boundaries.
  • Ability to remain professional even when dealing with difficult or confrontational callers.

Key performance outcomes

Effective communication:

  • Portrays a positive image of the Care Inspectorate when communicating both inside the organisation and externally.
  • Selects appropriate communication, style and methods depending on the needs and abilities of the audience.
  • Listens actively to people, questions and checks understanding.

Planning and organising:

  • Uses a systematic approach to make efficient use of time and manage workload. 
  • Recognises the need to be flexible in order to meet changing priorities.
  • Prioritises work effectively to meet deadlines and objectives.

Flexibility:

  • Demonstrates a flexible, positive approach to work.
  • Listens to feedback and ideas from people and will take appropriate and considered action.
  • Adapts well to change, adjusting priorities as required.
  • Is able to work confidently within a changing environment.

Team working:

  • Remains tolerant and fair towards others, values diversity and is non-discriminatory in their actions.
  • Values and makes use of the skills, knowledge and experience of others.
  • Works co-operatively and supportively with others.

Personal accountability and responsibility:

  • Takes responsibility for decisions and actions taken.
  • Maintains a high standard of work and actively seeks out continuous improvement.
  • Demonstrates initiative within own area of expertise.
  • Takes responsibility for identifying and addressing areas of personal and professional development.

Please note – these are key performance outcomes to be used to recruit into the role.  

Downloads: 961

Person specification

Published: 22 July 2024

Job title: Accountant

Attibutes

Experience

Essential:

  • Demonstrable experience in a Finance environment.
  • Experience of managing and leading a team.

Desirable:

  • Knowledge of process improvement and LEAN techniques.
  • Experience and knowledge of Public Sector.

Education, qualifications and training

Essential:

  • Educated to SCQF level 9
  • Membership of the Association of Accounting Technicians or part qualification with a Committee of Consultative Accountancy Bodies (CCAB) or equivalent.

Desirable:

  • Membership of a CCAB accounting body.

Skills and knowledge

Essential:

  • Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office suite, particularly Excel.
  • A thorough knowledge of integrated financial accounting systems
  • Accounting expertise in interpreting and applying accounting standards and guidance and other resource information.
  • Experience of working in a business partnering role to support budget managers
  • Ability to prepare financial reports.
  • Annual Accounts preparation.
  • Budgeting and budgetary control.
  • Excellent negotiation and influencing skills.
  • Good judgement and decision-making skills.
  • Ability to analyse numerical and written information and present results in a clear and concise format.
  • Concise and clear oral, written and presentation skills.
  • Ability to work under pressure with strict deadlines.
  • Planning and organisation skills.

Desirable:

  • Oracle financial systems experience.
  • Experience of a coaching culture and using coaching to support staff.

Key performance outcomes

Effective communication

Essential:

  • Articulate and positive communicator on a 1-1 basis and in larger groups.
  • Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely and to adapt communication to suit different audiences.
  • Ability to explain complex financial information to a range of audiences including non-specialists.
  • Listens to feedback and ideas from others and takes appropriate and considered action.

Impact and influence

Essential:

  • Demonstrates ability to influence at all levels.
  • Ability to give realistic advice, based on relevant, up to date and verifiable information.
  • Evidence of building positive relationships, engaging and collaborating effectively with others internally and externally.

Improvement focus

Essential:

  • Identifies gaps in process and performance and makes appropriate suggestions for improvements.
  • Aware of trends and changes and maintains professional knowledge and skills.
  • Uses knowledge and experience to gather and consolidate information in order to make appropriate changes and improvements.

Objective decision-making:

Essential:

  • Demonstrates analytical and systematic approach to problem solving.
  • Ability to make appropriate and realistic judgments, based on professional expertise, relevant, up to date and verifiable information.
  • Ability to analyse complex information.

Planning and organising

Essential:

  • Involves others where appropriate and optimises resources to achieve desired results.
  • Regularly reviews joint goals and targets and reprioritises where necessary.
  • Recognises the need to be flexible in order to meet changing priorities.

Team working

Essential:

  • Contributes to and supports the work and decisions of the team.
  • Contributes to the shared vision and purpose and shares this effectively.
  • Works collaboratively with a wide range of teams across the Care Inspectorate.

Please note – these are key performance outcomes to be used to recruit into the role.

Downloads: 952

Job profile

Published: 27 August 2024

Job title: Customer Support Adviser

Job location: Any Care Inspectorate office    

Responsible to: Customer Support Officer


Principal working contacts

  • Transactions Manager
  • Customer Support Officer
  • Business Improvement Manager
  • Lead Tester & Release Manager
  • ICT Development Team
  • Managers and employees of the Care Inspectorate
  • External agencies/service providers/service users and carers
  • Members of the public

Job purpose

To answer incoming calls to the organisation, respond to enquiries and questions, pass callers on to appropriate colleagues when necessary, provide information and undertake general administrative duties, in accordance with the Care Inspectorate’s policies and procedures.

Key responsibilities

  • To answer all incoming telephone calls and deal with by either responding to query, appropriate transfer, taking a message or follow-up and return call.
  • To take complaints from members of the public and log them in our Complaints application.
  • Research requiring information using available resources.
  • Provide callers with information as appropriate, within own remit of responsibility.
  • Identify and escalate priority issues.
  • Record call information accurately and appropriately.
  • Produce call reports and/or information as requested.
  • Attend meetings as required.
  • Distribute information within the Care Inspectorate and to service users, carers, service providers and other external agencies as required.
  • Carry out your duties in accordance with our Health and Safety policies, procedures, guidance, practices and legislative requirements, taking reasonable care for your safety and that of others who may be affected by what you do or fail to do while at work
Downloads: 899

Job profile

Published: 02 April 2024

Job title: Planning Manager

Responsible for: Planning Co-ordinator

Principal working contacts

  • Executive Director of Scrutiny and Assurance
  • Chief Inspectors
  • Service Managers
  • Team Managers
  • Strategic Inspectors
  • Inspectors
  • Business Support staff
  • Managers and employees of the Care Inspectorate
  • External agencies/service providers/service users and carers
  • Education Scotland

Job purpose

To manage and co-ordinate the delivery of national inspection planning across a wide range of social care services and services for children and adults to ensure that the Care Inspectorate makes the best use of its resources and performs effectively and efficiently as an independent scrutiny and improvement body.

Key responsibilities

Strategic management

  • In conjunction with the Chief Inspector, develop and manage systems and processes to support effective national inspection planning in order to meet corporate aims and objectives.
  • Build and maintain effective partnerships with Education Scotland, Healthcare Improvement Scotland and other scrutiny and improvement partners to support effective and efficient joint inspection planning.
  • In conjunction with the Chief Inspector develop and deliver strategies, action plans and targets for inspection planning in support of corporate aims and objectives.

Operational management

  • Manage and co-ordinate the effective and efficient delivery of scrutiny and improvement planning activity.
  • Manage and maintain scrutiny plans for the current year and draft plans for subsequent years, ensuring inspection planning activities are consistent with the Care Inspectorate’s objectives and targets.
  • Ensure that the provision of the inspection and capacity planning information is accurate, up-to-date and reliable for managers and staff throughout the organisation to support the planning and delivery of the Care Inspectorate’s scrutiny and improvement functions.
  • Plan and execute the strategic objectives for inspection planning systematically in alignment with the Care Inspectorate’s business objectives.
  • Promote continuous improvement in all aspects of inspection and capacity planning, including quality assurance and consistency of practice.
  • Participate in the recruitment and selection of staff as required.
  • Prepare and present reports to the Chief Inspector, Executive Director of Scrutiny and Assurance or Executive Team as required.
  • Deputise for the Chief Inspector and undertake such other duties as may be required by the Executive Director of Scrutiny and Assurance.

People management

  • Lead and manage a team, ensuring that they work effectively and efficiently to meet the aims, objectives and targets of Care Inspectorate.
  • Provide advice, guidance and support to team members through regular one-to-one supervision, performance development reviews and personal development plans to ensure continuous improvement in their work and support their personal and professional development.
  • Coordinate and monitor administrative support to the team
  • Promote consistent, high quality practice amongst team members, manage their performance and monitor their standards and behaviour.  
  • Promote the health, safety and welfare of staff in accordance with Care Inspectorate policies, procedures and guidance.
  • Promote diversity and equality of opportunity, ensuring that these principles are upheld across all areas of work.

Relationship management

  • As a manager, model corporate behaviour and demonstrate a strong commitment to organisational values.
  • Develop effective working relationships within the team and with managers and staff across the organisation ensuring effective collaborative and cross-directorate working.
  • Develop and maintain effective working relationships with partner scrutiny and improvement bodies and other key stakeholders.
  • Contribute to the continuous development of the Care Inspectorate and manage change effectively and creatively.
  • Promote the work of the Care Inspectorate and raise aware of its work in a positive manner.
  • Ensure effective working protocols in accordance with the Care Inspectorate’s Communications, Human Resources, Finance, IT and Operations function.
  • Demonstrate a commitment to the Care Inspectorate’s aims, vision and values and to the Care Inspectorate’s overall objective of improving care in Scotland.
  • Ensure effective communication of the Care Inspectorate’s work with people who use care services, carers, relatives and advocates.

Other duties

This job may require some travel and may involve some overnight stays and unsocial hours.

This job description is a broad picture of the post at the date of preparation. It is not an exhaustive list of all possible duties and it is recognised that jobs change and evolve over time. Consequently, the post holder will be required to carry out any other duties to the equivalent level that are necessary to fulfil the purpose of the job, and to respond positively to changing business needs.

Downloads: 898

Subcategories

The early learning and childcare expansion… 

Role: Inspector - Early Learning and Childcare (ELC)

Location: Forth Valley, Borders, Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, Edinburgh & Glasgow

Salary: £31,083 - £39,069 plus excellent benefits

Hours: 140 hours to be worked over a 4-week period

Contract: Permanent or 2-year secondment (would be considered)

Join us and make a difference – for you, for everyone

It’s our job to ensure care for everyone, everywhere in Scotland is as good as it can be. If you are as passionate about high-quality care as we are, and you’re experienced in your field, we’d love to hear from you.

About us

As a national scrutiny body that supports improvement. We inspect care services and partnerships across Scotland, report on the quality of care people experience, and support improvements in services to facilitate improvements in outcomes for people.

We inspect care services individually. We also work with other scrutiny bodies to inspect the social care and social work services people are experiencing in local areas.

We champion high-quality care whenever we encounter it across the thousands of inspections, we carry out each year, and we work closely with all care providers to support them to improve all the time. We collaborate with other organisations too, supporting improvement across public services. Our work plays a big role in reducing health and social inequalities between people and communities.

We are looking for talented people to join us in making a difference - specialists who understand how to put people’s needs, rights and choices at the heart of delivering social services – and how to lead improvement too. Our 600 staff work with services across the public, voluntary and private sectors. We have offices across Scotland and many of our staff work from home.

About you

Whether early or established in your career, you will share our determination that care, social work and justice services should work well for people – every time. You’ll be confident about what good-quality care looks like and how to deliver it. You’ll be good at analysing information and evidence. You will have excellent writing skills for narrative inspection reports that are clear, concise and focused on outcomes. You will be confident in working with a wide range of people and at supporting and advising on improvement.

You’ll currently be working, or have significant experience in, social care, social work, health, children’s services, early learning, child protection, or community learning and development. You will be registered or eligible to register with a professional body like the SSSC, NMC or GTC.

About the role

Our care inspectors work with care services: childminders, nurseries, care homes, care at home, housing support and a host of other specialist services. A specialist in your field, you may have helped lead a service and have a strong track record in delivering quality. You’ll be adept at leading improvement and influencing others. You will work with people experiencing care, and care service providers, managers and staff.

Why join us?

We strive to be a great employer, knowing that competitive salary, leave and pension schemes are only part of that. We pride ourselves on the values we hold, person-centred; fairness; respect; efficiency and integrity - all supported with a culture of care and kindness.

We believe in collective leadership and innovation. You’ll have a lot of autonomy to manage your own work and use the professional skills you’ve honed during your career – but in new ways. Starting on day one, our learning and development support will help you become confident in the craft of scrutiny and in supporting improvement. Because a lot of your role is about sharing effective practice across Scotland, the impact you can have on experiences and outcomes for people is significant. You will draw on management and leadership skills you’ve developed in the past.

We’re proud to be a progressive, supportive employer – we’re happy to talk about flexible working with you and we’re members of the Disability Confident Scheme, aiming to make the most of the talents disabled people can bring to the workplace.

New appointments will normally be placed on the minimum grade for the role; a higher starting salary may be offered in exceptional circumstances only.

ELC expansion

The Scottish Government is committed to expanding the provision of funded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) from 600 hours to 1140 hours per year by 2020. The expansion of ELC is aimed to support the reduction in the poverty-related attainment gap and improve long term outcomes for children and families.

Due to the ELC expansion programme we are looking for 7 further ELC Inspectors in addition to the “business as usual” Inspector campaign launched recently.

Principles and aims

The priority for the expansion to 1140 hours is to improve children's outcomes and close the poverty-related attainment gap. In addition, the expansion aims to support parents into work, study or training. The Scottish Government's four principles of the ELC expansion are: quality, flexibility, affordability, and accessibility.

The Scottish Government has stated that quality is 'at the heart' of the expansion and that achieving a high-quality ELC experience for children is a key objective.

Use and provision

A 2018 survey found that the main reason why parents use funded ELC is that they consider it beneficial for their child's learning and development. In addition, parents reported using the funded hours to either work, increase the number of hours they work, or look for work.

Funded ELC in Scotland is delivered by a wide range of providers including nurseries, crèches and playgroups, from across the public, private and third sectors. A small number of childminders also deliver funded ELC, but the Scottish Government hopes this number will increase under the expansion to 1140 hours.

Criteria to apply

  • We require you to hold a relevant qualification (minimum SCQF Level 9), register with either the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) or any other relevant professional body and undertake PVG checks.
  • You must also be prepared to do a Professional Development Award in Scrutiny and Improvement (Social Services) at SCQF level 10 with appropriate support from the organisation.
  • You will have a minimum of three years recent and demonstrable management experience in a relevant field. You must also be willing to travel with overnight stays as required.

Before you apply

  • Please contact the relevant body directly to resolve any queries you have regarding registration or eligible qualifications for registration (SSSC, NMC and so on) before submitting your application.
  • For an informal chat about the job role, please contact (Who?) You or Kim Connolly, Team Manager on 07766133161
  • For all other queries, please contact Human Resources at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

To apply

  • If you are interested, please see the minimum criteria to apply as an Inspector and the specific guidance and directions to apply. Thereafter, click on the gateway questions link to apply.
  • Your completed application form (campaign number C39 only forms) and equal opportunities form should be returned to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.no later than Monday, 14 October 2019 at 8.00am.
  • We anticipate that selection days will take place in the week commencing Monday, 18 November 2019.