If you need help or have a question about this website, please contact us by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The site meets World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) AA-level standard. You can read more about these standards at the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) website.

Access Key Details.

Key	Action
S	Skip to Navigation
C	Skip to Content

How do I increase the size of the text in this website?

You can click on the font resizing links at the top right of every page. Alternatively, select View then Text Size in your browser to adjust the size of the text. If you have a wheel mouse, hold down the Control key while rolling the wheel.

Which browsers can I use to access this website?

This website has been designed to support as wide a variety of browsers and operating system combinations as possible. Browsers such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox and Google Chrome or those from other suppliers will allow you access the site and use the pages but might not display the site as designed, nor provide you with the best experience of using the website.

Most browser suppliers will allow you to upgrade for free, either because they don‘t charge for their browser or because you have bought a previous version. To upgrade your browser go to the supplier‘s web site and follow the instructions provided.

Which screen resolution should I use for displaying this website?

We recommend the minimum display settings of 1024x768 and 16-bit colour.

What is a PDF file and how can I view them?

PDF is a file format that lets you view and print a document exactly as the author designed it. It is an Internet standard for electronic distribution that faithfully preserves the look and feel of the original document complete with fonts, colours, images, and layout. To view these documents you need to use a PDF file viewer such as Adobe Reader.

Data Accessibility Statement 

This accessibility statement applies to the Scottish Social Services Council Workforce Data website: data.sssc.uk.com

This website is run by the Scottish Social Services Council. We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website. For example, that means you should be able to:

• change colours, contrast levels and fonts
• zoom in up to 200% without the text spilling off the screen
• navigate most of the website using just a keyboard
• navigate most of the website using speech recognition software
• listen to most of the website using a screen reader (including the most recent versions of JAWS, NVDA and VoiceOver)

We’ve also made the website text as simple as possible to understand.

My Computer My Way has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability, and the AT Hive can help you find assistive technologies that work for you. 

How accessible this website is

We know some parts of this website and the documents on it are not fully accessible. You can see a full list of any issues we currently know about in the Non-accessible content section of this statement.

Feedback and contact information

If you find any problems not listed on this page or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, contact us at: 

•  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

If you need information on this website in a different format like accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording or braille:

• email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or
• contact our Workforce Intelligence manager, Michael Docherty by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

We’ll consider your request and will aim get back to you within 10 working days.

Enforcement procedure

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the ‘accessibility regulations’). If you’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).

Technical information about this website’s accessibility

The Scottish Social Services Council is committed to making its website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

Compliance status

The website has been tested against the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standard.

This website is not compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard. The ‘non-compliances and exemptions’ are listed below.

Non-accessible content

The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons.

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations

Website issues

• The contact form includes images without alt text though the identification of the images is vital to progression of the form. This fails WCAG 1.1.1 Non-text Content (A).
• Some pages contain tables that do not have appropriately marked heading cells. This means that appropriate context is not provided to screen reader users when navigating the tables. This fails WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (A).
• Some pages contain text which is visually meant to be a heading but not programmatically marked as such. This fails WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (A).
• On some pages list content is not correctly associated, either because they are not marked as list elements, the parent element has been overwritten or list items were not placed within a list parent item. This fails WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (A).
• Some of the forms on the website do not have correctly associated labels. This particularly affects the contact us form, and the interactive data visualisations. This fails WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (A).
• Breadcrumb links have no visual difference from inert breadcrumb text. This fails WCAG 1.3.3 Sensory Characteristics (A).
• Colour is used in many areas as the only differentiator of information. This includes links on some pages and across data visualisations such as graphs. This fails WCAG 1.4.1 Use of Colour (A).
• There are various colour contrast issues with text and text controls across the website with teal, green, and orange against white or grey combinations. This fails WCAG 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) (AA).
• The website is not built responsively and does not adjust to magnification or text size changes without causing clipping or horizontal scrolling. This fails WCAG 1.4.4 Resize text (AA).
• The website is not built responsively and does not adjust to magnification or text size changes without causing clipping or horizontal scrolling. This fails WCAG 1.4.10 Reflow (AA).
• There are various colour contrast issues with icons and focus indication across the website with teal and white, and green and white combinations. This fails WCAG 1.4.11 Non-text Contrast (AA).
• The website is not built responsively and causes significant clipping issues when adjusting text spacings. This fails WCAG 1.4.12 Text Spacing (AA).
• For some elements such as dropdown navigation controls and tooltips on data visualisations these can only be accessed by hovering with a mouse. This fails WCAG 1.4.13 Content on Hover or Focus (AA).
• A large number of elements across the website are not keyboard accessible which will significantly disrupt user experience. This includes navigation content, text size adjustment controls, document controls in the signed in area, contact form submission, and many of the data visualisation controls. This fails WCAG 2.1.1 Keyboard (A).
• On the home page there is a latest news carousel which has no way to pause, stop, or hide the animation, and users cannot manually move through the carousel items. This fails WCAG 2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide (A).
• There is no skip to content function on the website which will force some users to have to repeatedly tab through navigation content. This fails WCAG 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks (A).
• The focus order for the download and view options controls for each graph tile are not in the order that would be expected. The focus order for the "Link to this report" function in the interactive data visualisations section is not logical. This fails WCAG 2.4.3 Focus Order (A).
• A large number of links across the site do not have accessible text names or use full URL text rather than something descriptive. This fails WCAG 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) (A).
• The site search is not available on some pages, such as the home page or registration data meaning there is only one navigation route. This fails WCAG 2.4.5 Multiple Ways (AA).
• Many elements across the website do not receive focus indication, this includes links, download links, and filter navigation and controls including checkboxes and radio buttons. This fails WCAG 2.4.7 Focus Visible (AA).
• The "Link to this report" function in the interactive data visualisations section of the website creates a popup which does not trap focus. This allows users to navigate around the page now visually obscured by the popup box. This fails WCAG 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) (AA).
• Some form elements do not have their labels correctly associated with the input fields leading to a lack of accessible names. This mainly affects the contact form and interactive data visualisations. This fails WCAG 2.5.3 Label in Name (A).
• There is a serious issue with this page that stops any keyboard users from progressing further than the first dropdown selection within the Area at a glance filters section. When a keyboard user tabs through the page, the last element they can focus is the unnamed dropdown arrow link in the first filter field, the next tab move reloads the page as if a user has confirmed a selection for that dropdown and clicked “Generate a new report”. Because a keyboard user can never get past this, they cannot get to content below that on the page or make any other adjustments to any other filter fields. This fails WCAG 3.2.1 On Focus (A).
• When a user makes a mistake on a form, there is no audible alert for screen reader users to announce an error has occurred. This fails WCAG 3.3.1 Error Identification (A).
• The contact form includes an object identification task without accessible alternative route, and the task itself is not keyboard accessible or described to screen readers. There is effectively no way for many disabled users to complete the form. This fails WCAG 3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum) (AA).
• Several collapsible elements across content do not describe their collapsed or expanded state. This fails WCAG 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (A).
• Many control elements and links do not have unique text names. This fails WCAG 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (A).
• Pagination controls do not effectively describe their purpose. This fails WCAG 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (A).
• Some form controls are not correctly associated and do not have accessible text names. This fails WCAG 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (A).

Document issues

• Some PDF documents have significant tagging and structure issues that may make them harder to navigate and read for some assistive technology users. This fails WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (A)
• Graph content present within documents and downloadable as SVG and PNG files uses colour alone to differentiate information.
• Some PDF documents contain images without appropriate alternative text descriptions. This fails WCAG 1.1.1 Non-text Content (A).
• Some text in PDF documents uses teal on white which fails contrast requirements. This fails WCAG 1.4.3 Contrast Minimum (AA)
• Some Excel spreadsheets do not have document titles. This fails WCAG 2.4.2 Page Titled (A).
• Users should also be aware when downloading SVG or PNG files of graphs that for graphs with multiple pages of key items, the full key is not included in the download and users may have to download multiple images to get all key items.

If you find an issue that we have yet to identify, please contact us using one of the routes described in the ‘Feedback and contact information’ section of this statement.

Disproportionate burden

At this time, we have made no claims of disproportionate burden.

Content that is not within the scope of the accessibility regulations

PDFs and other documents

Given our role as an official statistics producer we make copies available of all our published reports and data sets going back to at least 2008. Most of these reports were published as MS Word documents or PDFs.

The accessibility regulations do not require us to fix PDFs or other documents published before 23 September 2018 if they’re not essential to providing our services.

As a result we do not intend to make changes to reports and data sets we published prior to that date. For example, we do not plan to fix Scottish Social Service Sector: Report on 2017 Workforce Data.

What we’re doing to improve accessibility

The Government Analysis Function provides advice and guidance to public sector producers of official statistics. They advise producers to publish reports in an accessible HTML format. They state that,

“PDF and other document formats are a last resort for any new text based publications like statistical reports. Wherever possible publications like this should be made available in HTML.

Reasons for this include:

- document formats will never be as accessible as HTML content

- search engines cannot look inside document formats – making content        harder to find

- document formats are harder to keep up to date than webpages because the editing

- process takes longer and sometimes the source copy of a PDF gets lost

- it can be difficult for users to tell if a PDF is out of date as search engines often take users directly to a PDF – when this happens it is not easy to find out if it is the latest version.” (page 21, Making Analytical Publications Accessible).

The current SSSC workforce data website was created and launched in 2013 and uses Joomla software for content management. Unfortunately, Joomla does not give sufficient support for the SSSC to create fully accessible HTML versions of our reports.

In view of this the SSSC plans to commission the creation of a new workforce data website in 2025/26. The intention is to have the new website operational by February 2026. The new site will use a content management system that does support the creation of fully accessible HTML versions of our reports. The new site will include HTML versions of all reports published by the SSSC on the workforce data website since 23 September 2018.

In addition to the Government Analysis Function advice on reports they also provide advice on publishing spreadsheets in an accessible format. Work to ensure that all new spreadsheets published after August 2024 are accessible is underway. Work to revise all spreadsheets published between 23 September 2018 and 31 August 2024 will take place in 2025/26.

In terms of the website issues identified in the non-accessible section above we intend to address all of these when creating the new workforce data website in 2025/26 

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on 16 October 2024. It was last reviewed at that time.

This website was last tested on 25/07/2024. The test was carried out by All Able Ltd.

A representative sample of pages of the website were tested along with a sample of the documents from each area of the website. Testing was composed of a mixture of manual, semi-automated and assistive technology testing.

 

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Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer by websites that you visit. They are widely used in order to make websites work, or work more efficiently, as well as to provide information to the owners of the site.

The table below explains the cookies we use on data.sssc.uk.com and why.

Cookie	Name	Purpose	More information
Content Management System cookie	jpanesliders_panel-sliders	These cookies are set by our content management system upon arrival to the website. They are not used for any other purpose.
Surveys	survey_id_last_visited	These cookies are set by our surveys and are set only after someone has completed a survey. Their purpose is to detect if a user has already taken the survey.
AddThis	__atuvc	Used by AddThis in order to make sure the user sees the updated count if they share a page and return to it before their share count cache is updated. This cookie is not sent back to AddThis.
Google Analytics	__utma __utmb __utmc __utmz	These collect information about how visitors use our site. We use the information to compile reports and to help us improve the site. The cookies collect information in an anonymous form, including the number of visitors to the site, where vistors have come to the site from and the pages they visited.

To delete cookies or reject cookies

We recommend you allow the cookies set by our websites as they help us provide you with a better service.

If you do not want to receive cookies from this website, select cookie settings under the privacy settings in your browser options, then add our domain to the list of websites you do not want to accept cookies from. Under settings you can also delete individual cookies or any cookies that your browser has stored.

You can find more information on how to delete and control cookies at the About Cookies website [http://www.aboutcookies.org/].

If you set your browser to refuse cookies, please be aware that some parts of this website will not work properly for you.

Links to other websites

This information does not cover links within this site pointing to other websites. We encourage you to read the privacy statements on the other websites you visit.

Giving us feedback

The information you provide when responding to the survey on this site is used to help us to improve our service to you. Each month, we download the data to Microsoft Private Cloud via SharePoint and delete it from the data site. We retain the downloaded data permanently in line with the retention schedule provisions for performance reports which are detailed here. For most respondents no personal information is gathered or stored by the survey or this site. If you choose to leave personal information, for example as part of a free-text response, the legal basis for the SSSC holding this information is consent, which you may withdraw at any time. The exception to the non-gathering of personal information applies only to the small number of data site users who may log into the site.  If you are logged into the site and complete the survey when logged in then the survey will record your name, email address and the local authority you work in, along with your response to the survey. 

 

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The SSSC makes every effort to ensure that the information published on its website is accurate and up-to-date. The information contained on the website does not constitute legal or professional advice and should not be treated as a substitute for such advice.

The website contains links which are not under the control of and are not maintained by the SSSC. The SSSC gives no warranty or representation as to the accuracy, completeness or fitness for the purpose of the websites referenced by external link.

Data Protection Act 1998

The SSSC is registered with the Information Commissioner. The data controller is the SSSC. Personal data collected through this site will be processed in accordance with the provisions of the Act.

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 Here is what we've been working on during 2023/24:

The majority of our reports and data sets are published annually while a small number of our reports and data sets are published more frequently (e.g. quarterly SSSC registration data) or are just occasional publications (e.g. our workforce skills reports).

 

In June we published a report for the first time exploring the Movement of Day Care of Children Staff between different types of employers. The report was based on data from the SSSC Register for 2021/22 which has a unique identifier that allows us to see changes in registrants’ employment over time.

 

In August we published the annual National Statistics report on Mental Health Officers which is based on data collected directly by us from all local authorities in Scotland. As with all our reports we published the tables from it separately alongside the report. We also published MHO time series data set (2006-22). A further data set providing data on registrations and certifications for SVQs and modern apprenticeships in 2022-23 relevant to workforce registration was published in August.

 

Our annual Official Statistics report on the Scottish social service sector’s workforce in December 2022 was published in early September. And the Staff vacancies in Care Services report which we produce jointly with the Care Inspectorate was published at the end of the month.

 

In October we published what is expected to be the first mid-year report on the number of whole time equivalent (WTE) practising social workers and the number of WTE vacancies for them. The data were collected by us from local authorities as at 30 June. In addition to this report we also published two data sets on the local authority social work services workforce with data from December 2022. The local authority post types 2022 which provides information both at a Scotland level and individual authority level of all staff working within social work services broken down by the type of post. And the interactive social worker data tool, which provides time series data (2013-22) on the headcount, headcount per capita, WTE and WTE per capita of practising social workers within each local authority area. This can be further broken down by the type of social worker and type of fieldwork team they work in.

 

In November we published our annual detailed data set on the adults services workforce. This provides a more detailed breakdown of the data published in the annual workforce report. For example it looks at data on care homes for adults by the various sub-types (including care homes for older people and care homes for people with learning disabilities). It also looks in a similar way at housing support and care at home services.

 

In December we published our annual detailed data set on the children’s services workforce. This provides a more detailed breakdown of the data published in the annual workforce report. For example it looks at data on residential child care by its three sub-types namely, children’s homes, residential schools and secure accommodation. It also looks in a similar way at day care for children and funded early learning and childcare services.

 

In January we published the detailed annual data set on those working in the sector by individual local authorities. The data set includes information on the type of service, the type of employer, the age and gender profiles of the workforce and the job roles.

 

In February we published a report on the way that the workforce is distributed across employers of differing size and type. This report is under development as a set of official statistics and based on the feedback we receive we will decide whether and how to publish such data in the future.

 

In addition to the above workforce data publications we have also continued to publish data each quarter on the numbers of people registered with the SSSC, by category. We also published for the first time a report that looks in a more detail at those registered with the SSSC and a report that looks at Fitness to Practice cases. An explanation of the differences between the workforce data we collect and collate and SSSC registration data can be found here.

 

In 2024/25 we expect to publish all the workforce publications listed above using data from December 2023. In terms of our Official Statistics and National Statistics reports we expect them to be published as follows:

 

Official Statistics - Scottish Social Service Sector: Report on 2023 Workforce Data – August 2024

 

National Statistics - Mental Health Officers (Scotland) Report 2023 – August 2024

 

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