Our Achievements

A regular update on the progress we’re making influencing change on behalf of our members

2025

April

  • Published The NCS: Where Now?, a joint paper on social care reform with Scottish Care, the Alliance, GDA, Inclusion Scotland and Cares Coalition. The paper was sent to key stakeholders across the Scottish Government, local government and the sector.
  • Presented a suite of papers on risk and sector viability, with partners, to the Cabinet Secretary and CoSLA spokesperson, setting out the political decisions required.

March

  • Published a report on the impact of private sector agencies in not-for-profit social care.
  • Hosted the Health and Social Care Skills Festival event for young people in Glasgow, in collaboration with Kings Trust.
  • Attended a second round table on financial viability with the Cabinet Secretary and CoSLA spokesperson.

February

  • Our concerns about the eNICs Bill were raised in the House of Lords, with the results of our member survey quoted. We contributed to the creation and refinement of amendments to exempt social care, which were approved by the Lords and returned to the House of Commons for further consideration.
  • Published and disseminated a new briefing on the Potential Impacts of the Employment Rights Bill on the Not-For-Profit Social Care Workforce in Scotland.
  • As part of an intensive development group, we presented to the Cabinet Secretary and CoSLA spokesperson on sector viability, with new member survey data, resulting in a commitment to consider a viability risk register from political leaders being secured. Development with partners continued through March and April.

January

  • Our CEO appeared on several TV and radio news broadcasts to speak about eNICs, sustainability and pay, including STV News, BBC Sunday Show, Reporting Scotland and Good Morning Scotland. She also wrote an article for The Scotsman.
  • Published a response to the Scottish Government’s latest announcement about the National Care Service bill.
  • Contacted politicians, including MSPs and members of the House of Lords to raise concerns around the impact of the eNICs Bill on the sector.
  • Held two in-person sessions with members to discuss options if neither the UK nor Scottish Governments cover the additional eNICs costs.

2024

December

November

  • Raised the eNICs issue with numerous bodies, including the Scottish Government, Scottish Labour, SCVO, Scottish Care, unions and CoSLA.
  • Engaged with media around the impact of eNICs changes on social care providers. Our CEO was interviewed on STV News and was quoted in a BBC News article.
  • Published a briefing on priority areas for amendments to the National Care Service bill at Stage 2, as well as a response to the latest uncertainty and delays surrounding it.
  • 80+ CCPS members signed our letter to the UK Chancellor, urging her to include an exception to her eNICs changes for third sector providers of social care and support.
  • Published a parliamentary briefing about the impact of eNICs on the sector, in advance of a debate in the Scottish Parliament. This was cited in a speech by Kevin Stewart MSP.
  • Hosted a practical learning session for our members on cyber-resilience.

October

  • Published two reports highlighting the “uneven landscape” of commissioning and procurement in social care.
  • Published a response to the UK Government’s budget, mainly focused on the issue of changes to employers’ National Insurance (eNICs) impacting negatively on CCPS members and other not-for-profit social care organisations.
  • Our CEO gave evidence in the Scottish Parliament to the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, on the NCS Bill.
  • Launched a regular e-newsletter for members, The CCPS Circular, alongside a series of member spotlight blog posts.

September

  • Produced a briefing in advance of the 2024-25 Programme for Government in Scotland, based on workforce data gathered from our members.
  • Published a response to the 2024-25 Programme for Government in Scotland, raising concern about the apparent lack of emphasis on social care in the Scottish Government’s plan.
  • Our AGM brought representatives from over 30 of our member organisations together in the same room, along with Neil Gray, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care. We also compiled a set of case studies which were shared with the Cab Sec to showcase the valuable work done by our members.
  • Published a response to the Scottish Government’s Health and Social Care Winter Preparedness Plan, highlighting the high demand on the sector during last winter.
  • Our CEO gave evidence in the Scottish Parliament to the Social Justice and Social Security Committee, for their inquiry into third sector funding principles. We were later cited several times in their report.

August

  • Our CEO met with Maree Todd to discuss the role of social care reform in ensuring a rights and choice based social care system in Scotland.
  • Following media reports about the introduction of emergency spending controls and imminent Scottish Government decisions on “de-prioritisation”, we wrote to Shona Robison requesting more information about the implications for social care and support. Later in the month, we received a response from Maree Todd.
  • Submitted a response to the Social Justice and Social Security Committee’s call for views around third sector funding principles.

July

  • Published our 2023 Social Care Benchmarking Report, containing research into recruitment and vacancy rates at not-for-profit social care providers.
  • Published a report on the effective use of language and narrative in recruitment processes within the not-for-profit social care and support sector.
  • Our CEO co-signed a letter requesting the extension of the Scottish Government’s call for views on the National Care Service bill.
  • Sent a letter to the First Minister asking the Scottish Government to fund a 2025-26 pay deal for social care staff.
  • Our workforce team attended steering group meetings with the Scottish Government to review care definitions and health and social care standards.

June

  • Held a 25th Anniversary celebration event, bringing staff and members together with MSPs from the Scottish Government and opposition parties.
  • Sent a letter to Scotland Excel to raise concerns from our membership around the implementation of the new Care and Support Framework

May

  • Our CEO Rachel Cackett and Board Convenor Andrea Wood met with Neil Gray, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, with discussion focusing on sector sustainability, including Fair Work. At the meeting Mr Gray voiced his commitment to social care and support being a core feature of Cabinet discussion.
  • We created a data pack based on responses to a questionnaire on resilience and winter pressures, and the return of workforce data, supplied by members. This was sent to the Cabinet Secretary ahead of our meeting and the findings were shared at our regular members’ update meeting.
  • We supported members to engage with a new Scottish Government online platform for commissioned social care organisations to assess their Digital Maturity, which opened in early May. This means that the same methodology is now in use across health boards, local authorities and independent social care. The platform is now open for new registrations.

April

  • 22 providers, covering a total of just over 15,000 workers (about a third of the not-for profit workforce) participated in our report with the HR Not-for-Profit Sector Forum and the University of Strathclyde on Social Care Benchmarking. The annual study provides key sector comparison information on topics such as staff turnover, absence, recruitment and pay. The Executive Summary of the report, outlining key findings, will be published in the summer.
  • We directly influenced the Scottish Social Services Council’s decision to delay the planned reduction in timescales workers have to achieve their mandatory SVQ qualifications. The proposal to reduce this to three years has been put on hold until 2025, with workers continuing to have five years to gain the required qualification.

March

  • Our CEO attended the first Expert Legislative Advisory Group meeting – a group CCPS led calls to be established – to influence extensive amendments required on National Care Service legislation, following successful work with members of the parliament’s Health, Social Care and Sport Committee on their Stage 1 report on the NCS Bill.
  • Our CEO spoke at a conference organised by Self-Directed Support Scotland, discussing the need for consistency across Scotland in SDS implementation, management, and delivery; and calling for proper investment to deliver on the principles of SDS.

February

  • We worked closely with the cross-party Health, Social Care and Sport Committee MSPs as they developed their final stage 1 report on the National Care Service. The report contains many of CCPS’ key calls for change, including the establishment of an Expert Legislative Advisory group.
  • We hosted a joint event with Scotland Excel and CCPS members to work through issues with SXL frameworks and develop solutions and actions. We are now working with SXL on the agreed actions to take forward.