Promoting the development of the voluntary sector

social services workforce in Scotland

Find out more about the role and remit of the Workforce Unit from here.

Join our mailing list, and receive copies of our e-bulletins, newsflashes and newsletters.

Latest news

Registration of Managers of Care at Home Services with SSSC

On 25th June, Adam Ingram, Minister for Children and Early Years, announced that managers of care at home services will now be included in the registration process. This has necessary implications for the commencement of registration of housing support staff which will be delayed until December 2010.

Read the Workforce Unit Newsflash here

Read a full copy of the Minister's letter here

Research Launch

On 1st June 2009, Jackie Baillie MSP launched the research report "A Gathering Storm? Procurement, re-tendering and the voluntary sector social service workfroce".

The report was commissioned by the Workforce Unit and was undertaken by the Scottish Centre for Employment Research, University of Strathclyde. You can read and download a copy of the report here. The slides from the launch are also available here.

If you would like a printed a copy of the report, please contact the workforce unit at vswu.admin@ccpscotland.org.

TUPE Uncovered

Together with Maclay Murray & Spens LLP, the Housing Support Enabling Unit and the Workforce Unit has developed a series of day courses to equip you with an essential guide to Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (TUPE) legislation. Full information is available here.

*****Dates fully booked****

If you would like to add your name to our waiting list pending cancellation please contact us. We may run more sessions if there is significant demand.

Required Registration with the Scottish Social Services Council

Legislation came into force on the 30th of April 2009 that effectively sets deadlines for registration with the SSSC for categories of the register that are currently open. Find out more in the Workforce Unit's registration update paper.

Spring newsletter

The Spring edition of our newsletter is now available.  This edition has an article

on the impact of re-tendering on the voluntary sector workforce and one on the development of a knowledge management strategy for social services.

Choosing an SVQ provider

New guidance from the Workforce Unit is now available to download.

June e-bulletin

The June edition of our e-bulletin is now available.

New publication from the Workforce Unit

The Unit has published a draft version of a document outlining the key organisations

involved in social services.

The document, Mapping the Social Services Workforce Organisational Landscape, is still in the early stages of development and the Unit would welcome your comments.

Download the document in pdf format.

Updated funding guide

The Workforce Unit has updated its guidance on funding that may be available to

voluntary sector social services organisations for learning and development.  It now

includes details of the Third Sector Enterprise Fund, Modern Apprenticeships and the Voluntary Sector Development Fund..

Get a copy of the funding guide.

Protection of Vulnerable Groups consultation responses

Community Care Providers Scotland has produced a summary of the responses to

the consultation on secondary legislation relating to the Protection of Vulnerable Groups. Issues of particular interest to the voluntary sector have been highlighted.

Read the summary..

End dates for registration - presentation from Workforce Unit events

The Workforce Unit held a series of consultation events on the Scottish Government's

proposal to introduce end dates for registration with the SSSC.

The event presentation sets out who the proposals will affect, the timescales, and the issues for employers and workforce planning. It also includes a note of the discussion questions used at the event.

Get a copy of the presentation.

Recognition of Prior Informal Learning and Credit Transfer

Work has been completed on a number of documents that will help programmes, employers and candidates think about the potential to use Credit Transfer or RPL when working towards achievement of the Practice Learning Qualification (Social Services).

Get more information.

New publication - Developing Student Placement Policies

We have now published our guidance on the development of student placement policies

Developed with stakeholders, the guidance provides organisations with material

to inform the development of student placement policies and procedures.

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