Students studying outside

Qualifications to work in residential child care

Professionals working in child and youth care require dedication, commitment, heart, soul and a whole range of practical and personal skills to help them meet the challenges and enjoy the rewards a career can bring. They also need to achieve the correct educational qualifications for working in the sector, and receive on-the-job learning to advance their knowledge and expertise.

Registering to work in residential child care 

Residential child care workers are required to register with the Scottish Social Services Council. We know that some new workers, supervisors and managers within the sector will need to gain qualifications to register. Here's some short guidance to help you:

Our courses

Alongside our partners in higher education, we deliver qualifications at degree and Masters level, and we are proud to contribute our own experience and skills to the delivery of learning for the sector.

By sharing our knowledge and expertise in theory and practice-based work, and by championing an innovative approach to working in child and youth care, we aim to promote a level of formal education that is above and beyond mandatory requirements.

Degree and postgraduate courses for looked after children

Residential child care

Scottish Journal of Residential Child Care Vol 14 No 1

Read articles on inclusion of looked after children in education Childen’s Hearings, residential child care and professional education.

Scottish Journal of Residential Child Care Vol 13 No 3

This special issue commemorates 50 years since Lord Kilbrandon's report Children and Young Persons: Scotland, was published. The 1964 report led to th…

News

National framework established to monitor Scotland’s progress on children’s social care

The first iteration of The Promise Progress Framework, created by The Promise Scotland, the Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local A…

End Child Poverty Coalition says the UK Government’s Child Poverty Strategy will need to be assessed against eight key tests

The End Child Poverty Coalition - a group of over 120 organisations including child welfare groups, social justice groups, faith groups, trade unions …