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We hold hearings for a Panel to decide on applications, impairment and temporary orders. Impairment hearings are in public but application and temporary order hearings are in private.
After an investigation, we may decide that a worker's fitness to practise is impaired. This can be due to their conduct, professional practice or their health. If we decide that a sanction should be imposed, we may hold an Impairment hearing, unless the worker accepts the sanction.
These are usually public hearings but all or part of the hearing can be held in private if the panel decides for the protection of vulnerable witnesses or if the hearing is about a worker’s health.
These can be held remotely, in person or a hybrid. A worker can ask for which format they would like in advance of a hearing and the Chair of the hearing will decide. See our Remote Hearings Guidance for more information on the format of hearings and how decisions are made.
We may refer a case to an application hearing when we decide not to grant an application or not to renew registration. Sometimes we may want to grant an application or renew a registration with conditions but if the worker does not consent to the conditions we would refer the case to a hearing.
The Panel will consider if the worker's fitness to practise is impaired and whether to grant the application. They may also consider additional registration conditions.
As with impairment hearings these can be held remotely, in person or a hybrid. A worker can ask for which format they would like in advance of the hearing and the Chair of the hearing will decide. See our Remote Hearings Guidance for more information on the format of hearings and how decisions are made.
A temporary order can be a condition which means that a worker may be required to do something differently or under supervision, but they can continue to work while we investigate their case.
A temporary suspension order means that a worker cannot practise in the particular role for which they are registered while we investigate their case.
Temporary order hearings will be held remotely unless the worker or the solicitor representing the SSSC asks for it to be in person or a hybrid. See our Remote Hearings Guidance for more information on the format of hearings and how decisions are made.
We carried out a risk assessment on hearings taking place at our offices during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Access the risk assessment hereView the members of the Fitness to Practise Sub-committee.
View the list hereView the list of legally qualified chairs.
View the list here
View the documents that set out how we carry out our regulatory function and provide guidance to decision makers on when to apply the different sanctions available to them.
The Codes of Practice set out the standards of practice and behaviour expected of social service workers and their employers.
Read The Public Information Policy to see what information we publish in advance of our hearings, what we don’t and why.
