1. Cheryl Campbell Senior Registration Officer Registration

2. About the Register Registration commenced in April 2003
There are 21 different parts of the Register
There are currently 70,765 registrants across the different parts
29% of these registrants are registered subject to a qualification condition

3. Mandatory Registration
Part of the Register
Mandatory registration
No.
Regstd
% Qualified
Social Workers
Sept 2005
10966
100%
Students
May 2004
1794
N/A
Care Inspector Staff
Mar 2010
281
78%
Residential Child Care Workers
Sept 2009
6272
70%
Managers of Adult Day Care Services
Nov 2009
382
73%
Managers of Care Homes Services for Adults
638
67%
Supervisors in Care Homes Services for Adults
Mar 2012
3073
42%

4. Mandatory Registration
Part of the Register
Mandatory registration
No.
Regstd
% Qualified
Practitioners in a Care Homes Services for Adults
Mar 2013
5777
60%
Managers of Day Care of Children Services
Nov 2010
2517
34%
Practitioners in a Day Care of Children Service
Sep 2011
20379
87%
Support workers in a Day Care of Children Services
June 2014
5001
45%
All Residential School Care Accommodation Workers
Nov 2013
369
38%
Managers of Housing Support Services
Jan 2014
1201
49%
Managers of Care at Home Services
876
46%

5. Future Dates for Mandatory Registration
Part of the Register
Date Register Opens
Date of Mandatory Registration
Support Workers in Adult Care Home Services
April 2009
30 September 2015
Supervisors in Housing Support & Care at Home
July 2014
30 June 2017
Workers in Housing Support & Care at Home
2017
Expected 2020
All workers new into their role are required to be registered within six months of starting in the new post.
This includes workers in posts in the above categories where registration is not yet mandatory.

6. Eligibility
Workers must be working in a service regulated by the Care Inspectorate to be eligible for registration. Workers cannot apply for registration in advance of being recruited into a role.
This requirement does not apply to social workers.
Workers already registered with another regulatory body e.g. the Nursing and Midwifery Council are not eligible for registration with the SSSC.
Volunteers are not eligible to be registered with the SSSC.

7. Register Parts
How do I know which part of the Register I should be applying for?
Workers should discuss this with their employers based on:
Definitions of register parts on the SSSC website
The role the worker undertaking not their job title
Workers should apply for each part of the Register they are carrying out the role for

8. Support Workers in Care Home Services for Adults
There is an estimated 27,000 workers in this category
13,949 applications have been received since 2009
Deadline for the receipt of applications is 30 September 2014 to guarantee registration by 30 September If the application is referred to Fitness to Practise, we cannot guarantee that the worker will be registered by 30 September 2015

9. Avoid delays in the application process
Employer provide PVG Membership or Disclosure Scotland number and date carried out at the point the application is endorsed
Verified copies of qualification certificates
All providers should set up countersignatories

10. Who is responsible for Registration?
Employers are responsible for ensuring they are employing registered workers – it can take up to 60 days to process an application for registration. It can take longer if the application is referred to Fitness to Practise.
As part of an inspection of a care service, the Care Inspectorate are checking the registration status of staff
Workers are responsible for maintaining their registration, including achieving qualifications

11. Lapsing Registration
The SSSC can remove someone from the Register without referral to a Registration Sub-Committee for the following reasons:
Non-Payment of Annual Fee
Failure to Renew
Failure to Meet a Condition
Since March 2012:
Reason
Total
Lapsed - Failure to meet qualification condition 29
Lapsed - Failure to Renew Registration
1338
Lapsed - Non Payment of Annual Fee
6074
7441

12. Change of Details
It is important that applicants and registrants keep us up to date as this may affect their eligibility for registration
On average we are dealing with 1,000 change of details per week
It is the registrant’s responsibility to keep us up to date but we can accept updates from employers
We are changing how we communicate with registrants…….

13. MySSSC Applicants Registrants Employers Universities Apply online
Pay Fees
Renew Registration
Change of Details
PRTL
Apply for Registration
Employers
View employee details
Report changes to employee details
Endorse applications
Maintain countersignatories
Universities
Student results
Notification of commencement
View student details
Report changes to student details

14. Contact the SSSC
The Scottish Social Services Council Compass House 11 Riverside Drive Dundee DD1 4NY Telephone:

15. Laura Wylie Team Leader- Training and Sector Liaison Fitness to Practise

16. The Role of the Fitness to Practise Department:
To determine if someone applying for registration is of good character, conduct and competence.
To investigate allegations of misconduct against registered workers in order to determine their continued suitability for registration with the SSSC.

17. Fitness to Practise (FtP):
FtP deals with referrals about applicants, registrants and social service employees who are not registered with the SSSC but where the worker has or would have been dismissed on the grounds of misconduct by the employer.
We receive referrals/information from numerous sources including: members of the public; service users; employers; registered workers and applicants; the police; PVG; Care Inspectorate.
Types of cases include criminal charges/convictions , employer disciplinary action, member of the public complaints, failure to meet the conditions of registration with the SSSC.

18. An Employer’s Responsibilities:
In addition to their responsibilities under the Code of Practice, employers have responsibilities under the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 in relation to any social service worker, whether the worker is registered with the SSSC or not (non-registered workers).
As part of the drive to raise standards of practice and increase the protection of the public, employers of social service workers have a duty to let the SSSC know if they dismiss a social service worker on the grounds of misconduct, or if a social service worker has resigned or left their job and the circumstances are such that the worker would otherwise have been dismissed for misconduct, or dismissal for misconduct would have been considered. This responsibility is set out under the legislation for the regulation of social service workers in Scotland.

19. Applicants:
Applicants should apply as soon as possible when taking up a post which is eligible for registration with the SSSC. If a case is referred to the Fitness to Practise Department, we cannot guarantee the individual’s application will be processed within 60 days.
Reasons why applicant cases are referred to the Fitness to Practise Department include: outstanding criminal proceedings, the nature of the conviction(s) declared, failure to declare convictions, live disciplinary action, information held on file by the SSSC from a previous period of registration/previous application/non-registered worker referral information.

20. Applicants (cont): Possible outcomes: Register
Register with conditions ( with the applicant’s consent)
Refer matter to a Registration Sub-committee for consideration. The Sub-committee can register, register subject to conditions or refuse registration.
If refused registration an applicant cannot reapply for registration for at least a period of 2 years. They can reapply after 2 years, if there has been a material change in the individual’s circumstances otherwise they cannot reapply for a period of 3 years.

21. Applicants- what employers need to know:
For existing employees who are in a post which has a required registration date set, employees must be registered with the SSSC by the deadline date or the employer is potentially committing an offence.
If new workers are not registered within six months of taking up a post in a role where that part of the Register is open, the employer is potentially committing an offence.
The SSSC will notify the Care Inspectorate if we are aware of any organisations who are not complying with the regulations
Have your employees apply for registration as soon as possible.

22. Registered Workers:
The vast majority of social service workers act in accordance with the Code of Practice and consistently meet the high standards expected by the public. However, the SSSC can take action against registered workers who do not meet the standards expected of them.
Possible outcomes:
No Further Action
Officer Warning ( up to 5 years)
Officer Conditions
Officer Warning + Conditions
Refer matter to a Conduct Sub-committee that can impose all of the above outcomes but can also suspend a registrant for a period of up to 2 years ( with or without conditions)or impose a removal order.

23. What should an employer notify the SSSC about and when?
For serious matters, e.g. dishonesty, violence, or any case involving detriment or harm to vulnerable people please tell us as soon as an investigation starts.
For other matters, which do not indicate that there is a risk to members of the public, service users or the registrant concerned, please tell us when the final outcome of the disciplinary process is known.
When a decision has been made to suspend a registered worker please tell us immediately, as we may have to take immediate action to temporarily suspend the worker from the SSSC Register.
When a registered worker has been charged with committing a criminal offence please tell us immediately. We may have to take immediate action whether or not you have suspended the worker.
should always be referred to the SSSC regardless of the outcome, except those matters at the paragraph marked * below. The reason for this is that while a one-off incident may not, on its own, call into question suitability for registration, repeated behaviour of a similar type may. Referring all disciplinary matters to the SSSC allows a picture to be built up over a worker's whole career which could otherwise be missed if they move jobs. Please bear in mind that we may also hold information relating to a worker's history of which you may be unaware.

24. What you should not notify the SSSC about
You should not report the following matters to us:
sickness absence, where there is no underlying competence/performance issue and no dishonesty or lack of insight, unless there is a pattern of absence or minor illness of a regularity which demonstrates a disregard for professional conduct and standards
smoking tobacco contrary to an employer's policy, except in premises, including outside premises, gardens and service users' accommodation etc, where a service user is present
We would not consider these matters because they do not impact on an individual's suitability to be on the Register.

25. Interim measures:
While our investigations are on-going into the allegations against a registered worker, the SSSC can refer the case to a Preliminary Proceedings Sub-Committee (PPSC) if it is deemed necessary for:
Protection of members of the public
It is otherwise in the public interest
It is in the interests of the registrant
Possible outcomes:
No order
Interim suspension order
Interim conditions order

26. What we need from employers?
When endorsing an application for registration ensure any on-going concerns are noted and ensure all conviction information on PVG/Disclosure Form is declared and accurately detailed.
Inform the SSSC at the earliest opportunity.
Provide the SSSC with clear, specific information in relation to the allegations.
Keep the SSSC up to date with the progress of your investigation.
Provide copies of all disciplinary paperwork including any appendices to disciplinary reports, witness statements etc. It is helpful if witness statements\minutes of meetings are signed when taken by the employer.

27. Agency workers:
The SSSC’s view is that if a worker has been supplied by an agency for work in a registered service:
the provider has a responsibility for notifying the SSSC of any concerns about the worker in terms of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 and the SSSC’s Code of Practice for Employers of Social Service Workers, and
Where an agency employs a social service worker, the agency is also responsible for notifying the SSSC in terms of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 and the SSSC’s Code of Practice for Employers of Social Service Workers.

28. PVG and Fitness to Practise.
The role of PVG is to look at the wider suitability of individuals to work with children and/or vulnerable adults. The SSSC has a more specific remit in determining suitability for roles within social services.
Share information
SSSC receives scheme updates\will be informed if someone is under consideration for listing
SSSC are eligible to refer matters to PVG ( employers have statutory duty to refer if the referral criteria is met)
If a registered worker is listed by PVG they can be automatically removed from our Register.
In non-conviction cases PVG will await the outcome of any on-going SSSC proceedings /take into account the outcome of any concluded proceedings when deciding if an individual is suitable for scheme membership.

29. www.sssc.uk.com “protecting the public”
Details of employer responsibilities, link to the employer referral form and guidance
What we do with the information you provide to us
Details of officer imposed sanctions and Sub-committee decisions
Details of up-coming hearings and information regarding the sub-committee process
Details of registrants currently subject to interim measures
Indicative sanctions guidance.

30. Val Murray Director of Fitness to Practise
Fitness to Practise: Performance and Planned Activity

31. 2013 -2014 performance 155% increase in hearings
16% increase in cases opened
1400 referrals
Target completion indicators
70% of cases concluded within 6 months
96% concluded within 15 months

32. Strategic Plan 2014/17
Expecting additional 30,000 on Register by September 2015
Increase of about 50% in Registrants
2014 – 2015: 2400 referrals to Fitness to Practise expected

33. Themes from SSSC casework
Failure to treat service users with dignity and respect
Medication administration failures
Attending work under the influence of alcohol
Dishonesty
Behaviour towards colleagues
Inappropriate use of social media

34. Significance for employers/managers?
Recruit only those with the right values (Code of Practice for Social Service Workers).
Follow safe recruitment practices.
Provide good induction for new staff and on-going training e.g. administration of medicines; importance of care plans
Emphasise Codes for Workers and Employers

35. Using casework information strategically
Using casework information, we are:
Working with SSSC Sector Development colleagues on applying the learning
Developing practice guidance for managers
Adopting a fitness to practise regime
Reviewing SSSC approach to regulation

36. Developing practice guidance for managers
Tool to
Describe what is expected of managers
Guide managers in their practice
Using examples from SSSC case work
Proposed working group to develop guidance
Key stakeholders to be involved

37. Adopting fitness to practise regime
Currently operate ‘misconduct’ regime
Under proposals we would consider:
Misconduct
Competence/deficient professional performance
Health - impact on suitability to practise

38. Advantages Fitness to practise regime would allow us to consider:
Risk where concern is not currently covered in the Code of Practice
Current/future suitability to practise

39. Progress We will now produce:
Revised guidance on referrals for employers
Revised Codes of Practice and Rules
Key stakeholders to be involved

40. Reviewing the SSSC approach to regulation
SSSC has agreed to consider whether we have right approach to regulation generally:
Is it proportionate?
Are costs/benefits properly balanced?
Does it fit new landscape for social work/social care sector in Scotland?
Key stakeholders to be involved