1. Qualification criteria:
registration of managers
care at home and
housing support services
Linda Barr
Education and Workforce
Development Adviser

2. The SSSC’s responsibilities
Publish Codes of Practice for all social service
workers and their employers.
Register key groups of social service workers.
Regulate the training and education of the
workforce.
Contribute to workforce planning,
development of qualifications, and promotion
of education and training.

3. Why regulate?
Strengthen and support the professionalism of
the workforce.
Protect those who use services.
Raise standards of practice and in doing so…
Raise public confidence in the workforce.

4. Context - Registration
• Social workers April 2003
• Social work students May 2004
• Care Commission Officers December 2004
• Managers residential child care services Oct 2005
• Managers care home services adults January 2006
• Managers adult day care services January 2006
• Residential child care workers July 2006
• Managers of day care of children services Oct 2006.

5. Context - Registration....
• Practitioners day care of children March 2007
• Workers with supervisory responsibilities in a care
home service for adults Oct 2007
• Support workers in day care of children services Oct
2008
• School care accommodation workers Nov 2009
• Managers of housing support services
Dec 2010
• Managers of care at home services
Dec 2010

6. General registration process
• Scottish Government sets down key groups.
• SSSC consults on key issues eg role function and
qualifications.
• Workers are registered on the basis of their job
function – not their job title ie the work they do
rather than what they are called.
• The qualifications set relate to a job function, not a
job title.

7. Overview:
Key group identification:
Managers of housing support (2005)
Managers of care at home (2009)
Consultation process:
Housing support (March– July 2005)
(Housing Support Qualifications Advisory Group
October 2005 – September 2006)
Care at home (Nov 09 – Jan 2010)
Qualifications criteria:
Housing support (2005 – 2006)
Care at home (2009)

8. Functional definitions
Manager of care at home service:
“A manager is a worker who is responsible for the
overall professional management of the direct
provision, supervision, and quality assurance of care
and support provided in a care at home service.”
Manager of a housing support service:
“A manager is a worker who is responsible for the
overall professional management of the direct
provision, supervision, and quality assurance of care
and support in a housing support service.

9. Qualifications required for registration
All manager categories:
an appropriate practice qualification
and
an appropriate management qualification.

10. Criteria and principles
underpinning qualifications
Criteria
• Assessment against occupational standards.
• Designed to match particular function.
• Subject to a recognised and regulated form of
external verification.
Principles
• Integrate observed, assessed practice and learning.
• Recognised with a national framework eg SCQF.
• Knowledge and value base consistent with Code of
Practice of Social Service Workers.

11. Qualifications criteria
Managers of housing support services
Managers of care at home services.
http://www.sssc.uk.com/sssc/all-about-registration/wh

12. Benchmark qualifications
Care at home and housing support managers
Practice
S/NVQ Level 4 in Health and Social Care
Management
SVQ Leadership and Management for Care
Services level 4

13. Post Registration Training and Learning
(PRTL)
15 days / 90 hours over three years.
Evidence of how PRTL has contributed to your
professional development and informed your practice.
Study, training, seminars, reading, teaching, other
activities which could be reasonably expected to
advance a registrant’s professional development, or
contribute to the development of the profession as a
whole.

14. Developing, training
and supporting the workforce
Workforce Solutions Portal
http://workforcesolutions.sssc.uk.com

15. Key content in portal
Induction
Career development toolkits
Career pathways
NOS navigator
Continuous Learning Framework
Workforce information and planning eg funding.
SCQF + RPL

16. http://workforcesolutions.sssc.uk.com/NavOnline/

17. Funding updates
http://www.sssc.uk.com/sssc/news/funding-update-may-2010.ht
This summary provides updated information
on sources of funding available in 2010-11 for
organisations delivering social work, social
care and support as well as childhood practice
services.
The content of this summary draws on the
funding sources section of Funding and
Support for Training: A Guide for
Providers of Scottish Social Services
2009.

18. Structure of funding guide:
Section one
Information about sources of grants and revenue for
funding to contribute to workforce development.
Section two
Details of sources of advice, guidance, consultancy and
support including sector specific support.
Scottish Government links – helping you meet costs of
learning.
Section three
E-Learning resources aimed at social services sector.

19. Funding update – May 2010
European Social Funding
ILA Scotland
Modern Apprenticeships
Voluntary Sector Development Fund
Innovation Voucher Scheme
Education into Enterprise
Contact wendy.johnston@sssc.uk.com for advice.

20. Linda Barr
Education and Workforce Development Adviser
linda.barr@sssc.uk.com

21. REGISTRATION WITH THE SSSC

22. 22
Eligibility for registration
•To be eligible for registration workers must be working
in a housing support or care at home service which is
regulated by the Care Commission
•Registration is function based – workers will be
registered on the part of the Register they are carrying
out the role for and not the qualifications they hold or
their job title
•Employers should give you guidance on which part of
the Register workers should be applying for

23. Parts of the Register
•Managers of a care at home service - managers are
defined as workers who are responsible for the overall
professional management of the direct provision,
supervision, and quality assurance of care and support
provided in a care at home service
•Manager in a housing support service - a manager is a
worker who is responsible for the overall professional
management of the direct provision, supervision, and
quality assurance of care and support provided in a
housing support service

24. Workers registered with another
regulatory body
•If a worker is already registered with another
regulatory body, for example, the Nursing and
Midwifery Council, they can remain registered with
them
•If a worker was previously registered with another
regulatory body but has allowed their registration to
lapse, they may either re-register with that regulatory
body or apply to register with the SSSC

25. Relevant qualifications
•There is a qualification criteria set for each part of the
Register (copy enclosed with each application pack)
•Qualifications may not be on our list but may still be
accepted
•Information available on our website or through our
helpline
•Applicants must provide evidence of the qualification/s
you hold
•If an applicant does not hold a qualification they may be
registered subject to a condition that they gain a
qualification three years from the date of registration

26. How to apply for registration
•We will write to service managers in November
•Managers can complete the application online from 1
December 2010
•Managers can contact us for application packs

30. Completing the process
•Applicants should take the form and original ID
documents and qualification certificate/s to their
employer
•Employer must sign a copy of the original documents
as a true copy – this should be carried out by a SSSC
countersignatory
•Employer must endorse the application for registration
and provide information about Disclosure Scotland

31. Application fees
•Application fee of £30 payable with each application
•The fee is non-refundable
•Methods of payment:
- Direct Debit
- Cheque/Postal Order
- Debit or Credit Card
•The fee is tax deductable information on claiming tax
back is in the guidance notes

32. What happens next?
•Satisfactory applications may be approved by officers of the Council
•Where questions arise about suitability, the application is referred to
the Conduct Section who may decide to Register or refer to a
Registration Sub-Committee
•Where an application is incomplete, the applicant will be given a
specified period of time to provide the information requested
•The application will be treated as withdrawn if the information is not
provided and the applicant will be required to complete the full
application process again – no refund will be given
•It is extremely important that applicants inform the SSSC of any
changes to their circumstances

33. Once you are registered
•Registration documents are sent by recorded delivery:
- Registration certificate
- Guidance notes for registrants
- Details about accessing the online registration
system
- Details about Post Registration Training and
Learning

34. Post Registration
Training and Learning
•Each registrant is required to undertake 15 days or 90
hours of post registration training and learning during
their registration period
•Registrant must keep a record that the SSSC may ask
to see
•Can take the form of:
- attending workshops and seminars
- shadowing/work experience
- formal training courses.

35. Registration period and
annual fees
•Registration is for a period of three years
•Annual fee of £30 is due on the anniversary of the
registration date
•This fee is also tax deductable
•Each registrant must apply to renew their registration
prior to the expiry of registration
•Lapsing for non-payment of annual fees and renewals.

36. Registration subject to a
condition
•At the point of renewal registrants must provide
evidence of meeting conditions
•Failure to meet conditions.

37. Other registration information
•Registration on more than one part of the Register
•Registration of other workers in housing support
services
•Required registration
•Due Regard members.

38. Contact the SSSC
The Scottish Social Services Council
Compass House
11 Riverside Drive
Dundee
DD1 4NY
Telephone: 0845 60 30 891
enquiries@sssc.uk.com
www.sssc.uk.com