This important role contributes to the work of the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), which is responsible for protecting and enhancing the safety and welfare of people who use social work, social care and children and young people services and maintaining public confidence in the social service workforce.
About the role
As chair, you will be part of a panel of three, including a social service and lay member. The panel makes decisions about workers’ fitness to practise. You will advise the panel on questions of law and chair the hearings to make sure the hearings are both legally compliant and fair. You will be expected to apply the Nine Principles of Public Life to your work and to be aware of trauma informed practice and in particular the Trauma Informed Justice Framework.
To be eligible for this role you must currently be practising as a solicitor or advocate in Scotland and have extensive litigation experience in regulatory, civil or criminal law. You must have practised as a solicitor or advocate in Scotland for a period of at least five years.
Our hearings
Hearings are usually held online or at our offices in Dundee. On occasion hearings may be held in other locations throughout Scotland. Chairs will be paid a daily rate of £600 (exclusive of VAT). You will be entitled to holiday pay and, if eligible, to enrolment in and contributions to a pension scheme. There will be no additional payment for travel or subsistence expenses in connection with hearings (although certain expenses will be authorised in relation to hearings taking place outwith Dundee).
The main type of hearings are temporary order hearings and impairment hearings. Temporary order hearings are generally one to two days long and we will give you three to five weeks' notice. Impairment hearings are on average six days long, with two to three months' notice.
Availability
Applicants should indicate in their cover letter whether they would be able to chair temporary order hearings, impairment hearings or both. Successful applicants will not be restricted in the type of hearing they can chair. The availability of successful applicants will influence the number of chairs we appoint from this recruitment.
The overall time commitment varies depending on the number of hearings and the number and availability of chairs. Chairs need to be available for between 15 and 30 days each year. The appointment is for a period of three years with a potential for extension for up to a further four years.
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, in particular Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, and from those with a disability.
How to apply
You will find more information in our job description and person specification.
To apply, please send your CV and covering letter including details of your motivation for applying and demonstrating your suitability for the role to panelmemberrecruitment@sssc.uk.com.
Closing date for applications is Sunday 19 November 2023 at midnight.
Interviews will take place at our office in Dundee between 4 and 15 December 2023.
Mandatory training will take place at our office in Dundee on 23, 24 and 25 January 2024.
