We provide support, guidance and advice to education and training providers to make sure the quality and standards of education and training are maintained and enhanced.

We provide support, guidance and advice to education and training providers to make sure the quality and standards of education and training are maintained and enhanced. We have links with higher education institutions, further education colleges and other providers to ensure compliance with SSSC rules and requirements.

In our regulatory role we make sure courses continue to meet:

• Social Work Training Rules 2003
• Rules and Requirements for Specialist Training for Social Service Workers in Scotland 2005
• Rules and Requirements for Awards Developed from the Standard for Childhood Practice 2008.

We are also responsible for making sure that those who successfully complete any of these courses continue to demonstrate an ability to meet the following standards:

• Standards in Social Work Education 2019
• Standards and Audit for Practice Learning
• Qualification and Practice Learning Qualification (Social Services) December 2005 (Revised 2006)
• Standards of the Mental Health Officers Award 2007
• Standard for Childhood Practice 2015
• Standard for Chief Social Work Officers (2015)
• Standard for Residential Child Care (2015)

Our role includes quality assuring, approving and enhancing the degrees in social work, childhood practice awards and specialist awards for practice learning qualifications, mental health officers, residential child care, chief social work officers and the scrutiny and improvement award.

Application forms and guidance for course providers

• Approval of Awards for Specialist Training Application Form
• Specialist Awards Approvals Application Guidance
• Approval of Awards for Social Work Application Form
• Approval of Awards in Childhood Practice Application Form
• Childhood Practice Approvals Application Guidance

Qualifications required for SSSC registration

We assess qualifications for registration against agreed criteria and principles . This includes social care qualifications from Europe and international social work qualifications. As a partner in Skills for Care and Development we are required to work with the social service sector to review the National Occupational Standards (NOS) and support the development of qualifications based on these. We are committed to ensuring that the social service workforce in Scotland has all the skills necessary to do their job well.