Ten steps to a career in care

Engage

Resources and guidance to help you reach out to individuals and get inspired about careers in care.

1 Introduce a career in care

Videos

These videos make a lasting impression and will help you introduce the career to new audiences.

SSSC Code of Practice, with staff from Capability Scotland

Youtube

Early learning and childcare careers in Scotland

Youtube

Young people discuss what it’s really like to work in health and social care, The Prince’s Trust

Youtube

Conversation starters:

There are two Scottish Government careers campaign websites with lots of information about what it’s like to work in adult social care and early learning and childcare.

The national On the Adult Social Care careers campaign website can be found at www.caretocare.scot. You will find there’s a conversation tool , a short guide to working in adult social care , social media templates and much more on the stakeholder resources page.

The national Early Learning and Childcare careers campaign website can be found at www.childcarecareersscotland.scot The website has an ELC resources page with leaflets, posters and more.

Can you help Kat take on the world with confidence?

Social media:

You can access social media imagery and templates from the above childcare and social care campaign website. Help us spread the word about careers in social services by using #LifeChangingWork on your posts.

2 Continue the conversation

These short videos will help you understand a career in care. You can use them to discuss what it would mean and any concerns or challenges. We’ve included some key information here to help.

Videos

Click on the About button under each video to find extra guidance about these areas of work.

More resources

Visit the Iriss.fm podcast channel to access podcasts from Disclosure Scotland, Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), SSSC and current social service workers.

Explore www.careersincare.scot to read descriptions of the many roles in childcare, social care and social work. There’s also Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (like funding and work experience) and a toolkit of recruitment resources

Getting the right help early in the career search

Two areas which may benefit from discussion at an early stage are communication skills and previous convictions.

There are a range of life experiences which can affect an individual's career journey, in any industry. We've put lots of information in Step Five, Assess to help you consider how some of these experiences might link with careers in care.

Here are two examples from Step Five which are particularly important to discuss at an early stage when planning a career in care.

3 Encourage those with the right values

A career in care isn’t for everyone. It’s a career in which personal values, like respect and compassion, are of the highest importance. Take a look at these resources to help you identify the right people to recommend for this career. Showing that your employment support service takes a values-based approach when promoting these careers can help you build and maintain relationships with more employers in the sector.

Values-based resources

Here are the three key resources we highlight in our careers toolkit.

A Question of Care

Go To

Values Based Recruitment Toolkit

Go To

Safer recruitment guide

Go To

Assess

Resources and guidance to help you assess initial needs and plan activities to grow confidence.

4 Convert interest into action

We know that when people starting their career in care have a better understanding of what their role will be like, and their level of responsibility, they will have a better experience. They will also know much earlier if it’s a job they are likely to enjoy, or if they would be better suited to something else.

In this step we provide you with some information to help you understand this a bit more and do an overall assessment of work readiness, specifically in relation to care careers. There’s plenty of ideas and support in our Ten Steps to help you and the person you’re working with to create an action plan and move forward in this journey (no matter their starting point) if they decide this is the right career for them.

5 Promote strengths and remove barriers

People may not realise that their previous experiences, even challenging ones, can represent sources of strength and first-hand knowledge. Such experiences may also increase their natural ability to empathise with others and respect individual differences. These can be very attractive qualities to future employers.

We’ve described some types of experience below. We’ve also added guidance to address areas which an individual may perceive or experience barriers to work because of the same experience.

Refugees and asylum seekers

We want to thank Who Cares? Scotland for helping us develop this information.

What does it mean to be "care experienced"?

"The term care-experienced refers to anyone who has been or is currently in care or from a looked-after background at any stage in their life, no matter how short, including adopted children who were previously looked-after. This care may have been provided in a one of many different settings such as in residential care, foster care, kinship care, or through being looked-after at home with a supervision requirement."

~ The Scottish Funding Council

Children go into care through no fault of their own. They are in need additional care, guidance or protection, and this can be achieved in different settings.

Looked after at home means the child or young person remains at home with their parent(s) but will receive services, care and support from the local authority (for example support from a social worker).

Kinship care means the child or young person lives with another family member for example their grandparent, auntie or uncle, or close friends, who care for them as a parent would.

Foster care means the child or young person lives with another family, often people they have not met before, in a family home.

Residential care means the young person lives in a registered care home, usually in a group of around 4-6 other young people who are also in care.

Care experienced people in the workforce

Many care experienced people face challenges throughout their lives which mean their paths through life, work and education might look different to those who have not experienced care. Some common experiences include

moving multiple times
a disrupted education
poor mental health related to difficult life experiences and trauma.

Iriss have produced a report about care experience and employment which provides further insight about this.

Care experienced people have a wealth of skills and knowledge to bring to employers.

Police Scotland set up a Care Experienced Officers Group in recognition of these skills and expertise. This group shapes policies and processes which impact on the care experienced community.

One member of the group said, “I had wanted to use my experience so many times during my career but could never find the right way of explaining how I knew how to deal with people, or how I had natural empathy with the situations I was faced with and a knowledge of the right way to make it better for all involved”.

Care experienced people and careers in care

By employing people with different life experiences, care employers can better understand and meet the needs of the people who rely on their services. This means care experienced employees have much to offer.

There are some resources and supports which could benefit care experienced career seekers and employees.

Enhanced modern apprenticeship funding for care experienced apprentices up to age 29. Opportunities include the MA Social Services and Healthcare at SCQF level 6 or 7 and MA Social Services (Children and Young People) at SCQF level 7. Use the apprenticeships.scot funding page to learn more and find a training provider.
A bursary from Student Awards Agency Scotland for care experienced students undertaking a full time higher education course. Opportunities include the HNC Childhood Practice, HNC Social Services or social work degree.
A non-means tested maintenance allowance for students at college studying a further education course. Further information at Student Information Scotland or contact the college to find out about the range of child and adult care courses on offer including access courses and National Certificates.
Employment support from Fair Start Scotland from day one of unemployment for care experienced young people. Other employment support providers are described in step six.
Who Cares? Scotland have published Top Tips for Care Experienced People from Disclosure Scotland. This covers common questions such as address history and different surnames. Contact details are given to access further support. If a person with care experience is concerned about a previous conviction they can read our convictions guidance which is also included in step five.
A video case study is available about care experienced young people employed in the NHS.

Corporate Parenting

Public bodies like the SSSC, the NHS, colleges and universities, Disclosure Scotland and others someone may interact with throughout their care career are Corporate Parents.

This means we have legal duties towards care experienced people. The SSSC’s current Care Experienced Action Plan, Realising Potential, sets out our approach to keeping The Promise and putting Scotland’s care experienced young people and adults at the heart of everything we do.

We’ve included perspectives from care experienced people in our careers website and careers learning resources. You can contact us for further support, or feedback about what we can do better at [email protected]

Useful Links

Who Cares? Scotland - Who Cares? Scotland is Scotland’s only national independent membership organisation for Care Experienced people.

Who Cares? Scotland Helpline - The Helpline was set up to support Care Experienced people by providing lifelong advocacy throughout Scotland. They can support, signpost and offer advice and guidance.

In Scotland, three in ten men and one in ten women have a previous conviction (Scottish Government).

People who have a criminal record commonly experience stigma and reduced opportunities in employment. This is despite the qualities that they can bring to employment, gained for example through overcoming adversity and pursuing personal development. Employers report that employing people with convictions can provide access to a wider, more diverse talent pool and employees who show a high level of commitment (Release Scotland).

There is evidence to show that people with care experience, people with experience of trauma and those from areas of the greatest social deprivation are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system (Edinburgh University , 2022).

There can be misconceptions about the various laws involved in disclosing convictions for both regulated and unregulated employment. Accurate advice should always be provided.

Key points about previous convictions and careers in care

People with previous convictions whether spent or unspent often think that due to their convictions they are not able to have a career in care however this is not usually the case.
Not all convictions need to be disclosed to care employers. When a relevant conviction does need to be disclosed, employers can take a range of factors into account to make a safe and fair recruitment decision. This includes the type of conviction, when it took place, why the person acted in the way they did, and what positive changes they have made to behaviour and lifestyle since.
Most roles in care services will involve regulated work. This includes support worker posts in child and adult services. People doing regulated work must join the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme.
Other roles in care services which do not meet the criteria for PVG scheme membership will require another correct level of disclosure. This is commonly a Standard Disclosure which (like the PVG scheme) is a type of higher level disclosure.
The Care Inspectorate expects care providers to carry out appropriate disclosure checks before someone takes up their position and has any unsupervised access to people using the service. The Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 will make this a legal requirement.

Which convictions need to be disclosed to care employers?

If accessing employment in a role which requires a higher level disclosure the individual will need to disclose all unspent convictions plus may need to disclose some spent convictions.
Relevant convictions must be disclosed to the employer before they carry out a disclosure check. The Disclosure Scotland website explains the convictions information which will be shown on a higher level disclosure certificate .
Relevant convictions must also be disclosed to SSSC if working in an eligible role and applying for registration. SSSC provides guidance for registrants about disclosing relevant convictions . Individuals should be encouraged to start the registration process as soon as possible after starting employment.
You should take care not to ask the individual about convictions which do not appear in the guidance from Disclosure Scotland and SSSC. The individual has a right not to disclose these. If you are unsure how to support someone you should seek appropriate advice or further training.

Are disclosure checks required for training courses?

If you are supporting people to take part in an employability course which will prepare them to undertake regulated work you will need to consider if a level of disclosure will be required during the course. Not all courses will require this (for example short self-directed online courses). Whether a level of disclosure is required will depend on the course design and could include new employability courses offered by your organisation. If it is required you need to identify the correct level, who is responsible for the check and the point at which it will become necessary. You can contact Disclosure Scotland for advice.

If you are supporting people to apply for a childcare, social care or social work course at college or university you can check if a level of disclosure will be required. This should be clearly stated on the course webpage. The course provider will be responsible for the check however the individual may benefit from your support throughout the process. If a student starts an access course which does not require a PVG check, they may later wish to progress to a course which does. Therefore it will be beneficial to have access to correct advice early in the career journey.

Can employment support organisations pay for disclosure checks?

Yes, it’s possible for employment support providers to fund these checks, for example if arranging a placement opportunity for an individual in partnership with a care employer.

It’s also possible for the employment support provider to pay for checks if an individual is starting employment. This will require you to maintain communication with the individual and their employer who will be responsible for completing the check. Many employment support providers offer a period of in-work support which makes this possible.

Volunteer Scotland provide a funded service for volunteers working with voluntary organisations.

Are there people who are unsuitable for regulated work?

Disclosure Scotland keeps lists of people who have been barred from doing regulated work with children, or protected adults, or both. In this case the person will have been notified and is legally barred from seeking regulated work. They will not be eligible for PVG Scheme membership. Under no circumstances should they be encouraged to apply for any regulated work.

All individuals will otherwise be eligible for PVG Scheme membership, even if relevant convictions appear on the certificate. Whether the individual is suitable for the post applied for will be the employer’s decision which will be based on the assessment of a range of relevant information including suitable references.

Resources

This podcast from Disclosure Scotland explains the different types of disclosure and positive steps that someone can take if concerned about sharing previous convictions with an employer.

Scotland Works for You is a guide for individuals and those who provide advice on employment to evaluate the meaning of someone’s criminal record to a job or opportunity they’ve applied for.

The Release Scotland website is a source of helpful information for employers and people with convictions.

Social service employers value the skills and qualities of a diverse range of people, of any age and from a range of backgrounds. This diversity is a strength of the social service workforce.

Employers often look for people who have different kinds of life experience and some of these, such as care experience, are described in this step.

We designed our Careers in Care learning resources to highlight key knowledge, skills and values. You can find these in step six. These resources can help people who are worried about not having specific work experience in care. There are also 360 scenes to help people experience real workplaces.

Here are some helpful points which could help people with less formal work experience.

Modern Apprenticeships are available for people age16 years and over (there is no upper age limit). This could be a good option for someone who is new to the workplace as they would be able to access training and will have support from an experienced workplace mentor. Vacancies are advertised on apprenticeships.scot and you could also contact local training providers or colleges. If working with a specific employer you could help to find a suitable training provider who is able to offer an apprenticeship opportunity . Apprenticeships are an extremely popular qualification in social services.
If working with someone who is under 18 it may be helpful to raise awareness of this ACAS guidance for young workers, apprentices and work experience . One barrier may be the working time as some care service shifts may exceed the allowed eight hours. In these cases it can be helpful to work collaboratively with employers to find solutions to make sure the young person has fair access to opportunities.

Digital skills and confidence online is emerging as a critical core skill in all kinds of social service roles. If working with someone with existing digital skills you can support them to describe these to new employers.

Some examples of vital digital skills used in care settings include:

· recording accurate support notes on digital care management systems
· communicating effectively with colleagues and other professionals
· keeping in touch with others while working alone (for example using a mobile phone)
· helping people using services to stay in touch with family and friends
· completing online learning modules
· maintaining an electronic e-learning portfolio for Scottish Vocational Qualifications.

Skills for Care provide free learning activities on their core skills webpage. This includes a digital skills activity and assessment pack. You can use the assessment pack to understand existing strengths and areas where further support would be beneficial.

The SSSC has designed our free Careers in Care learning resources to support online confidence. There are a range of different types of activity and they can be used on mobile phones or computers. We also encourage the learner to create learning logs in our free MyLearning app. You can find these learning resources in Step six.

You could also look on the My World of Work website for training courses in digital skills.

The SSSC’s Learning Zone has a range of resources designed to promote digital skills. These are designed for existing social service workers and could help people you’re working with to develop attractive skills before employment.

Stay secure online with our cyber security resource https://lms.learn.sssc.uk.com/course/view.php?id=43
Develop a range of digital capabilities by completing 23 Things Digital https://lms.learn.sssc.uk.com/course/view.php?id=17

Train

Free learning resources, case studies and links for care training programmes.

6 Resource and training directory

The SSSC has created four free learning resources to help people learn about careers in care

The SSSC has worked with employers and employment support providers to create four free learning resources. They are inspired by core topics in Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQ) and will help people learn about careers in care, including what to expect and how to prepare. Learners can work through these at their own pace, or if you're a work coach you can use them in group sessions.

If you're an employer you can share these resources on your website or job adverts. You can also encourage applicants who are not yet ready for roles in your organisation to try the learning resources or contact an employability course provider below.

Go to the learning resources

Screenshot of the Staying safe and well learning resource showing a figure washing hands and other figures doing physical activity

You can also find courses on the Skills Training Network website .

Apply

Resources and guidance to help people select and apply for the right job in care.

7 Find the right job

Organisations have different preferences for where they advertise their opportunities. Some opportunities will appear across a number of websites, and some are likely to be limited to one place. It’s helpful to have an overview of different job platforms to give someone the best chance of finding the role which suits them best.

While you can apply for some roles with a CV, many organisations have their own application forms.
Roles should typically be the living wage or higher. Look at the wider benefits offered like learning and development opportunities, location, permanent contracts and suitable shift patterns.
Research an organisation’s values and services to find a good fit and try to reflect this research in job applications.

8 Prepare a job application

When an individual wants to apply for an advertised role it is likely that they will be asked to complete an application form. Each organisation will design their own application pack which provides an opportunity to describe the role in detail and illustrate the organisation’s values, culture and employee benefits.

There are some common elements you should expect including a personal statement in which the individual will outline their knowledge, skills and experience. It’s a good idea to have a basic personal statement prepared which can then be amended to suit the particular values and responsibilities set out by the organisation which is advertising the role.

MyLearning

The SSSC developed a free app, MyLearning, to help people record and reflect on their learning. You can create learning logs and apply for Open Badges which you can easily share with others including future employers.

Encourage people to search for MyLearning by the Scottish Social Services Council on their smartphone’s store. It’s available for Apple iPhones 5 and above, and most smartphones running Android 9 or later. If using the app for the first time they’ll be instructed to set up an account which requires an email address and password. Find out more at www.mylearning.scot

MyLearning is already used by thousands of social service workers to record and share their Continuous Professional Learning (CPL) which they complete to maintain SSSC registration. Using the App while looking for a first employment opportunity is an excellent way for people you’re working with to show commitment to learning, and their learning logs and Open Badges will stay with them throughout their career.

We’ve integrated MyLearning into our Careers in Care resources which you’ll find in step six. You can also do this with learning resources and courses you create.

MyLearning allows you to:

set learning targets and view progress
record learning logs
tag learning logs to easily find them later
use learning logs for Open Badges
share learning logs with others, such as potential employers.

9 Prepare for the interview

Here are some helpful resources to use when preparing for the interview.

Interview questions on the adult social care careers website.

Develop

Resources and guidance to support people to stay and progress in their new career.

10 In work support and aftercare

We know that many employment support providers can offer in-work support to individuals at the beginning of their new career in care. Here are some key learning and development resources to help you as you keep important conversations going.

Resources and guidance for work coaches, careers advisers and employment support workers.

Quick Key

Engage

1 Introduce a career in care

Videos

SSSC Code of Practice, with staff from Capability Scotland

Early learning and childcare careers in Scotland

Young people discuss what it’s really like to work in health and social care, The Prince’s Trust

Conversation starters:

Social media:

2 Continue the conversation

Videos

Early years: Why work in ELC?

Social care: Who can work in social care?

Social work: What’s it like to be a social worker?

More resources

Getting the right help early in the career search

3 Encourage those with the right values

Values-based resources

A Question of Care

Values Based Recruitment Toolkit

Safer recruitment guide

Assess

4 Convert interest into action

5 Promote strengths and remove barriers

Train

6 Resource and training directory

The SSSC has created four free learning resources to help people learn about careers in care

Apply

7 Find the right job

8 Prepare a job application

9 Prepare for the interview

Here are some helpful resources to use when preparing for the interview.

Develop

10 In work support and aftercare

Partners