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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Here is what we've been working on recently:

1) Workforce Data Report  – On 29th August 2018 we published the 2017 Workforce Data Report. This report gives a comprehensive picture of the paid workforce employed in the social service sector in Scotland at the end of 2017. The data published includes information on:
• The workforce size and the whole time equivalent (WTE) measure of the workforce.
• The stability index of the workforce (what percentage of people are in the same post as the previous year). 
• The employer types (Public, Private and Voluntary) and the percentages of each in local authority areas.
• The age and gender of workers in different roles and areas. 

2) Mental Health Officers report - On 31st August 2018 we published the 2017 Mental Health Officers Report.  This is the sixth statistical report on Mental Health Officers (MHOs) in Scotland to be produced by the SSSC. The data published includes information on:
• The number of practising MHOs.
• MHO trainees, leavers, vacancies and staffing shortfalls.
• The average hours worked by MHOs

3) Integration – Mike Docherty attends a sub-group of the National Workforce Planning Forum made up of representatives from NHS Scotland, Scottish Government and the SSSC. The aim of the forum is to facilitate and support the integration of health and social care workforce planning.

Part 1 of the National Workforce Plan covering NHS Scotland was published in June 2017 (available at: https://www.gov.scot/Publications/2017/06/1354).

Part 2 of the plan covering Scottish social care was published in December 2017 (available at: https://www.gov.scot/Publications/2017/12/2984).

Part 3 of the plan covering Scottish primary care was published in April 2018 (available at: https://beta.gov.scot/publications/national-health-social-care-workforce-plan-part-3-improving-workforce).

As part of the initiative to integrate health and social care workforce planning, NHS Education for Scotland (NES) are co-ordinating the creation of an online cross-sectoral workforce data platform. This ambitious project will face challenges with data comparability and governance. More information on this will be provided as it becomes available.

4) Detailed Data Publications -  We have published a number of detailed data files that allow you to explore our data in greater detail. These are: 

2017 Detailed Workforce Information.

Local Authority Post Types 2017

Interactive Social Worker Data Tool 2017

Here is what we'll be working on in the coming months:

1) Local Authority Social Work Services (LASWS) 2018 census data collection – The deadline for the submission of the 2018 LASWS data from Scotland’s 32 local authorities is 8th March 2019. 

During March, April and May 2019 the submitted data will undergo rigorous checking before being used in the 2018 Workforce Data Report (Official Statistics) and the 2018 MHO Report (National Statistics).

2) Data website upgrade plans – We are currently further developing our data website. We have reviewed the site in the light of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Open Data and integration. We plan to further enhance the “Explore the Data” section by extending the data available and improving how it can be shaped and presented. For example, we wish to provide separate data on Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) within the Day Care of Children sub-sector, provide percentages data in the ‘Compare data’.

3) The Adults' Services Workforce 2017 report and the Children's Services Workforce 2017 report - In January 2019 we intend to publish the above two reports. These reports go into more detail than the 2017 Workforce Data Report about the two services types. The data to be published will include information on:
• The Employer Types (Public, Private and Voluntary) and the percentage of each in the service type.
• The age and gender of workers in various roles within each service type.
• The percentage of staff by in each job function (Auxiliary, Care or Manager) in each service type.

 Forthcoming meeting dates:

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Scottish Social Services Workforce Data is a unique, free to use, online resource providing you with all the workforce data and reports that the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) publish on the social services sector in Scotland.

All our data publications in one place,,

You will find all our workforce information and intelligence publications as well as our workforce data releases on this website. These include:

• the annual workforce data report
• our workforce skills reports
• our local level workforce data sets.

The website holds data on the sector’s workforce from 2008 onwards.

Keeping you informed

Visit our news section for announcements about publication dates and updates about our work and the data revisions section to be aware of any revisions or corrections made to previously published data or reports.

Data by area

Download spreadsheets providing you with detailed information about the workforce. You will find more information here than is currently available in our workforce data reports.The spreadsheets allow you to interrogate the data further if you need to.

Interactive visualisations

Our interactive data visualisation tool allows you to create your own charts and tables using data we hold about those in paid employment in the sector. This is the same data used in the SSSC's annual reports on the social services workforce.

If you are involved in planning and delivering social services at a national or local level, then this flexible, easy-to-use tool can help you. You can identify gaps in supply, benchmark against other areas and improve your understanding and knowledge of your own and neighbouring areas.

Find out about our role and responsibilities

The SSSC has responsibilities as a producer of Official and National Statistics. You can read about our responsibilities under the Code of Practice for Statistics as well as information on how we are meeting these requirements. You can also find information about our regular meetings with stakeholders and minutes of those meetings here.

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