Professional membership and registration

Social Workers working in Scotland need be registered with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC).

Posts that require SSSC registration

• Social Workers and Care and Support workers working in Scotland need be registered with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC)
• Adult care and support workers should apply to join the Social Care Workforce register
• Children and early years workers should apply to join the Children and Young People Workforce register

Please note:

• You need to be working in the role before being able to apply to register.
• Social workers can register with their qualification.
• If you fail to apply for registration within three months, you may be subject to our Disciplinary procedure which could result in dismissal due to your failure to comply with statutory requirements.

If you’re registered but not in Scotland

If you're registered with one of other Care Councils in the UK you have three months from the date of commencing employment in Scotland to apply for registration with the SSSC.

If you’re registered with another regulatory body

You cannot register with the SSSC if you’re registered with:

• Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)
• Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
• General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS)

How to register with the SSSC

You can apply for registration through the MySSSC portal. To do so you'll need to know:

1. Your endorser's name: Yvonne McWhirr (We use 'Yvonne McWhirr' as a place holder so that the business support team can process your endorsement. If you have any issues or queries, please speak to your line manager in the first instance they should be able to help.)
2. Your National Insurance number
3. The register part you need to apply for:
   • Social Care Workforce: all adult care and support services
   • Children and young people workforce: all children and young people services
   • Social Worker

Qualifications

• Social care workers do not require a relevant qualification to register.  You'll have up to three years in most cases to achieve a relevant qualification
• Social Workers must hold a social work qualification to register
• International qualified social workers must have their qualification assessed by SSSC prior to applying for social work jobs in Scotland
• Social Workers who have previously been registered with SSSC must register again before returning to a social worker role

Questions or issues

If you have any further issues email sssc@edinburgh.gov.uk