The Care Inspectorate welcomes the revised SSSC Codes of Practice, which reflect important developments in social work and social care and set out clearly the expectations of social service workers and employers.
The Codes complement our work improving the quality of care services by setting out the national standards of practice that apply to all social service employers and workers registered with the SSSC in Scotland. The Care Inspectorate and SSSC work closely together to ensure that service and professional regulation is coherent, joined-up and directed at improving outcomes for people using social care and social work, as well as public protection.
The Care Inspectorate strongly supports the Codes' focus on people using services. We are pleased the revised Codes adopt a forward-looking view of a worker's fitness to practise than the previous approach of focusing on a more backward-looking view of the worker's conduct. This fits with how we are changing how we regulate services, moving from measuring compliance and technical inputs to a wider assessment of the outcomes for people using care. The SSSC Codes of Practice are also a tool for continuous improvement for both employers and for workers. These should help employers and workers continually improve their practice. Coupled with the new national care standards, the Codes let people who use social services and their carers know what they can expect from the workforce that supports them.
The Care Inspectorate expects all social services employers to adhere to the SSSC Code of Practice for Employers, which sets out their responsibilities for making sure their staff are trusted, skilled and confident. Employers have a clear responsibility to support their employees to achieve the standards of care that we expect to see when we carry out inspections. Whilst most care services in Scotland perform well, we have a duty to provide public protection and assurance so will not hesitate to take action to support improvement or require change where providers do not meet the expectations set out in the Employers' Codes.