Issue of qualifications causes debate

“The issue of qualifications has been so contentious to
registration that two delegates had to be pulled apart at a
workshop on residential child care because the debate became so
heated”, said Geraldine Doherty, registrar with the Scottish
Social Services Council, writes Keith Sellick in
Edinburgh.

Doherty was telling delegates at a session on registration at
Community Care Live Scotland that conduct, good character and
competence were accepted as key to registering social services
staff. However, what qualifications would be acceptable and who
pays for the fees had caused debate.

Staff pay £13.60 for police checks and £30 for the
annual registration fee. Some councils have paid £13.60 fpr
police checks but it is for employers to decide.

She also stressed that employers’ responsibilities under the
code of practice were to all staff and not just those registered.
The recent Borders inquiry had shown that the council had not
carried out some of their responsibilities under the code, which
the Scottish executive may make compulsory on councils, she
added.

But she said that the process had been more straight forward 
than in England. The small size of the workforce had meant that
there was more face-to-face contact and support from bodies such as
BASW and Unison, she added.