The Newly Qualified Social Worker (NQSW) Supported Year is mandatory from today, 1 October 2024. It’s part of the framework that will set out a clear pathway for social workers and employers from qualification to advanced practice.

We want people to know what it means to be registered with the SSSC, to know about the benefits and value of being registered and the standards, skills and qualifications needed to deliver high quality care.  

We’re hosting quarterly forums to support implementation of the Newly Qualified Social Worker (NQSW) Supported Year. These are for NQSWs undertaking a Supported Year, those supervising NQSWs and employers and strategic leads for NQSWs. 

We’ve developed social care specific guidance on the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019 to help you understand the roles and responsibilities for safe staffing. 

Our new dedicated website for the Newly Qualified Social Worker (NQSW) Supported Year in Scotland is now live.

Do you have staff whose registration is due for renewal between 1 March and 31 May 2024? 

The percentage of care services reporting staff vacancies has increased to the highest level since publication of figures began in 2017. According to a new report published by the Care Inspectorate and the Scottish Social Services Council nearly half (49%) of all care services in Scotland reported having vacancies at the end of 2022.

Do you recruit from overseas or are you considering this? Our new Pre-employment and induction guide for employers of overseas workers, refugees and asylum seekers can help you.

We’ve produced an online guide for employers who would like to know more about recruiting a Ukrainian national. 

It’s important that every organisation has the right people set up with access to their workers’ registration information as they are our main points of contact in all matters relating to registration.

We are delighted to announce we are working with the Scottish Refugee Council to deliver sessions for social service employers to help you understand more about recruiting refugees, the different terminology,  challenges they face and how you as an employer can better support them.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, our dedicated social care workers have provided critical and invaluable support to individuals across Scotland. In recognition of the vital contribution of social care workers, on 30 July 2020 Scottish Ministers published details of the social care worker death in service payment scheme.