The Care Inspectorate and the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) have issued a joint statement reminding people working in services and employers of their guidance on how to raise concerns in the workplace and the importance of speaking up.
To help ensure public protection, people working in social services have a duty to raise concerns and employers are responsible for making sure they can do this in an easy and safe way.
Our guidance Raising concerns in the workplace – Guidance for employers, social service workers and social work students clearly sets out these roles and responsibilities and the protection offered to people raising concerns under whistleblowing legislation.
The first part of the guidance for people working in services and social work students explains their duties and responsibilities, gives examples of the kinds of things they might want to raise concerns about and a step-by-step process for raising a concern. The guidance also explains the difference between whistleblowing and a grievance and what you should expect from your employer.
The second part of the guidance is for employers, who should provide a workplace in which staff feel they can speak openly about their concerns and be sure that what they say will be treated sensitively and in confidence.
Employers must have appropriate policies and procedures in place to manage this and must treat all concerns with equal importance however they are raised.
Employers have a responsibility under the SSSC Codes of Practice to support staff to whistleblow when they feel that working practices are inappropriate or unsafe for any reason.
Read the Raising concerns in the workplace – Guidance for employers, social service workers and social work students guidance here.