Software Developer
Job title: Software Developer
Salary: £44,322 - £47,982
Hours: 35 hours per week
Location: Flexible (Any Care Inspectorate office)
Contract: Permanent
About us
We are the national regulator and scrutiny body responsible for providing assurance and protection for people who experience care services, their families, carers and the wider public, as well as supporting delivery partners to improve the quality of care for people in Scotland. Our vision is that people across Scotland experience high quality care that meets their needs, rights and choices.
We are a scrutiny body that supports improvement. We inspect individual care services and we also work with other scrutiny bodies to inspect the social care and social work services people are experiencing in their local areas.
Our desire is to achieve an effective and balanced way of working, that enables us to meet organisational needs and achieve a work-life balance that promotes wellbeing and collaboration opportunities. We are moving towards an expectation that all staff will work collaboratively, within and across teams, in person, for approximately 40% of their working week.
Starting salary
Please bear in mind that new entrants start on the grade minimum for the role. However, we have a generous benefits package which you will find on our website.
About the role
We are recruiting a Software Developer to work within our Digital team to support the IT, transformation and business change projects, with the design, build, test and release of Digital Applications to meet the Care Inspectorate business requirements, using the Microsoft Azure platform and other Microsoft technologies.
Reporting to the Applications Manager, you will develop and maintain our business applications and deliver an applications support service. Working in an Agile environment, in alignment with ITIL best practice, you will support incident, problem, configuration, change and release management processes, as part of our IT service delivery.
You will assist the internal customer with the analysis of business requirements to produce agreed functional and non-functional design requirements and work with the development team, research and develop modular code solutions, refining and re-writing as required, to derive code that contributes to the production of effective and efficient software solutions.
About you
You will ideally hold a degree or similar equivalent qualification to a minimum of Level 9 of the SCQF Framework and have relevant experience in Computer Science and Software Development
You will have direct work experience which can evidence:
- Experience in software development, working across the entire software development cycle, using a variety of software design patterns.
- Ability to plan, execute, track and report on delivery progress against requirements.
- Knowledge of the Microsoft .NET framework and web development, including HTML, JavaScript and MVC.
- Experienced in designing and implementing relational databases in MS SQL Server.
- Competent in cloud architecture and technologies.
- Experience in continuous improvement of development, integration, and delivery processes.
- Experience in Agile methodologies
- Experience of working as part of an agile software delivery team.
- Experience of providing customer support for in-house developed software solutions.
Next steps
You will find more information in the job profile and person specification.
If you would like more information or an informal chat about the role, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - please include a contact telephone number and times that would be best to reach you in your email.
To apply
If you believe that your skills, experience and motivation make you a suitable candidate for this post, please download and complete an application form and an equal opportunities form, please submit by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 08:00 on Monday 7 October 2024.
It is anticipated that interviews will be held during the week commencing 21 October 2024 at a suitable Care Inspectorate office location.
4 pathways for complaints
Following assessment, there are a number of ways we can handle complaints when they are raised with us, and we may use multiple methodologies for one complaint. It is important that each complaint is dealt with through the most appropriate route to ensure that concerns are resolved as quickly and effectively as possible.
All complaints are assessed for any aspects of adult and child protection. Any complaints which require to be assessed as adult or child protection are referred to the lead agency, the social work department and/or police. We keep in touch with the social work department/police until a decision is made about any investigation they will undertake. If a decision is made that no investigation is required by them, the issues will be re-assessed through our resolution pathways and investigated by the Care Inspectorate if this is appropriate.
The 4 resolution pathways
These are:
Intelligence - where we receive information about a care service, we may use the information as intelligence about the service to help inform our scrutiny and improvement support activity. For example, bringing forward a full, unannounced inspection of a service.
Direct service action – when issues are straightforward and suitable for quick or immediate action, we contact the service and ask that they engage directly with the person making the complaint to resolve the issues directly with the person. Typically, this is used to intervene quickly and achieve a positive result.
Investigation by the care provider – when issues are suitable for the complaint to be investigated via the service’s complaint procedure, we obtain consent to share the person’s contact details with the service and we require the service provider and ask them to investigate the concerns and respond to the complaint and to the Care Inspectorate.
Complaint investigation by the Care Inspectorate – following assessment, we investigate serious complaints about failings in care that have led to or are likely to lead to poor outcomes from an individual or individuals.
We receive information from a range of sources. As referred to above, every complaint raised is risk-assessed to determine the seriousness of the concerns and dealt with appropriately and proportionately. If we investigate and uphold a complaint about a care service, the outcome is published on our website.
A few changes to visiting made all the difference – a care home manager shares their experience
A few changes to visiting made all the difference – a care home manager shares their experience
On a recent call with my inspector, we were discussing how my service was managing visiting – it has been stressful trying to achieve a good balance between supporting and encouraging good quality visiting while keeping our residents as safe from Covid as possible. I was disappointed when she highlighted that our visiting arrangements were too rigid and not in line with guidance, but she was supportive and encouraging and I came away with some really constructive and practical advice.
We’ve now made some changes based on our inspector’s advice and I’m so glad we did. With some simple adjustments, we’ve really improved the visiting experience for residents and their loved ones. It feels better for me and my staff too; being able to make visiting more welcoming, homely and accessible is helping us make a positive difference for residents and that’s something we’re really passionate about.
I’d like to share a few key highlights of the changes we made.
- The booking system has been removed, with only a request from families to notify us if possible, prior to the visit so we can ensure the resident is not busy in another activity when they arrive.
- We have created an additional visiting area downstairs so that two visits can take place in a communal visiting area at the same time if the family/residents are not keen on a visit in the bedroom.
- We will be offering one of the toilets at the main entrance as a primary visitor toilet with further enhanced cleaning in place.
- We have removed the need to distance or wear a mask outdoors in line with the guidance too and reduced the social distance back to 1m indoors (not overtly marked in any way, just subtle and homely positioning of the chairs).
- Children were always allowed to visit indoors and outdoors for some time now, but we hadn’t made that clear – we have made sure everyone is aware of this now.
- We had been encouraging outings, but we are now highlighting that these can be to local cafes or to the relative’s household for a visit and so on.
- We are ensuring that any risk assessments we undertake now demonstrate less rigidity and a greater level of warmth.
I also had a person-centred discussion around visiting with one family that had raised concerns to discuss all the changes we were making and answer any queries. It was a really productive and positive discussion. Not long after, they came to visit their loved one and brought their daughter and two grandchildren too. They all went for an outdoor visit to the loch and the play park together since it was a quite bright and mild day. I spoke to them afterwards and they were very complimentary, saying “We had a wonderful time. It was the best visit we have had since Covid began. Mum was on great form”. (We always encourage staff to engage a resident in a person-centred stimulating activity pre-visit so the resident is able to engage really well during a visit or video call and the resident had been playing Simon Says with the staff and also had a short walk in the garden for some fresh air before the family arrived, which hopefully helped her engage well on the visit.)
I encourage fellow care home managers and providers to get in touch with your inspector if you’re concerned about visiting. I was met with positivity, encouragement and constructive advice, and with a few quick fixes, we were able to make a big difference.
About our roles
Our core roles
The Care Inspectorate employs 600 people from a diverse range of backgrounds, and they’re all amazing at what they do.
From inspection and improvement support specialists, to intelligence and digital specialists, and everyone in between – all are key to our work, championing high-quality care. Find a career that will empower you to develop, collaborate and make a difference. Together, we can change lives.
Read more about some of our roles and the work our teams do.
Our Scrutiny & Assurance teams provide independent assurance about the quality of care and support improvement and innovation. Their role ensures the safety, protection and wellbeing of vulnerable children, adults and older people.
The teams’ responsibilities are broad and include:
- Early learning and childcare services
- Children and young people’s services
- Adult services
- Registrations, variations and cancellations
- Complaints
- Inspection planning
- Justice
- Protection
- Enforcement
Roles within Scrutiny and Assurance include:
Overview of inspector role
What do our inspectors do?
As one of our inspectors, you’ll be central to our work and have a challenging and rewarding role in championing high-quality care.
You’ll be responsible for managing your own workload and lead on these actions for the registered care services you work with.
- Gathering and assessing intelligence and using your professional judgement to target scrutiny and improvement activities.
- Planning and carrying out scrutiny activities.
- Providing feedback to people experiencing care and service providers on the findings of scrutiny activities.
- Signposting good practice to support continuous improvement.
- Providing professional advice and guidance to support improvement and innovation.
- Providing briefings for senior managers relating to specific events which impact on regulated care services.
Here’s what Hillary, one of our inspectors, says about her job.
There’s never been a better time to join us
It’s our job to ensure care for everyone, everywhere in Scotland is as good as it can be. It’s a big job and we need your help!
This is an exciting time to join the Care Inspectorate. You will have the opportunity to be at the heart of change and help shape the future of care for everyone.
We’re looking for talented people to join us to make a difference. Specialists who understand how to put the needs and rights of children, young people, adults and older people in Scotland at the heart of delivering social care and how to lead improvement too.
Now is the perfect time to come and join us. We’ve recently changed our recruitment process and how we assess new people. We’re looking to attract inspectors from a broader range of professional backgrounds. So, if you are as passionate as us, and think a career in care could be right for you, read our FAQs here.
About you
As one of our inspectors, you’ll share our determination that care should work well for everyone, every time. You’ll be confident about what good quality care looks like and how to deliver it. Drawing on your resilience and adaptability, you’ll be able to work on your own initiative or as part of a team, managing competing priorities. You will apply your excellent analytical and writing skills to produce inspection reports that are clear, concise and focus on good outcomes for people. Establishing effective relationships is vital for success in the role and you’ll be confident working with a wide range of people and building effective networks with partners.
Based on your professional background, you’ll work in one of three specialist areas.
Adults services
As one of our adult inspectors, you’ll work in our inspection, complaints or registration teams, with services across the public, voluntary and private sectors.
You’ll work with people experiencing care, care service providers, managers and staff and be confident to support and advise on improvement. You’re likely to have experience delivering improvement in a service, partnership working, applying good practice guidance and be able to respond to and manage change.
We're customer focused and treat complaints in an open, fair and objective way. As a complaints inspector, you’ll be a good supportive listener who understands what is important to people and resolve complaints accurately and effectively.
Early learning and childcare (ELC) services
As one of our ELC inspectors, you’ll work in our inspection, complaints or registration teams, with services across the public and private sectors.
You’ll have recent experience supporting the delivery of high-quality care and learning for children and have significant knowledge of current developments and challenges within the sector. You’ll work with children and families experiencing ELC services and service providers, managers and staff and be confident to support and advise on improved outcomes for children. You’re likely to have experience delivering improvement in a service, partnership working, applying good practice guidance and be able to respond to and manage change.
Children and young people (CYP) services
As one of our CYP inspectors, you’ll work with services across the public, voluntary and private sectors.
You’ll have experience in assessment and critical analysis. You will listen carefully to children, young people and their families to understand what is important to them, how they are experiencing care and support and the difference services are making to their lives. You’ll work with care service providers, managers and staff and be confident to support and advise on improvement. You’re likely to have experience delivering improvement in a service, partnership working, applying good practice guidance and be able to respond to and manage change.
We are a proud Corporate Parent with an ambitious plan to take forward our work. We have a group of Young Inspection Volunteers (young people with lived experience of care) who support us with this and enhance and influence our work. Inspectors work alongside our Young Inspection Volunteers in lots of ways and there are exciting and innovative plans to develop this partnership approach further.
Our Strategy and Improvement teams focus on helping to improve outcomes for people who use care services in Scotland. They make sure that the voice of people using care, and their carers, is central to our work. They also support the wellbeing of our staff so that staff are equipped with the right skills and support and feel motivated and confident to excel in their role.
The teams’ responsibilities are broad and include:
- Communications
- Corporate Parenting
- Improvement support
- Information governance
- Intelligence
- Organisational and workforce development
- Policy
- Professional practice and standards
Our IT, Transformation and Digital teams deliver our internal IT services. They also develop our digital systems and business processes to support our scrutiny and assurance work.
The teams’ responsibilities include:
- IT service delivery
- Digital transformation
- Business change
The Corporate and Customer Services teams provide a range of core services which are central to our operations, and those of the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) and the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR), as part of a shared service agreement.
The teams’ responsibilities include:
- Business and customer support
- Contact centre
- Estates, health and safety
- Finance and corporate governance
- Human resources
- Legal
About us
The Care Inspectorate is a scrutiny body which supports improvement. That means we look at the quality of care in Scotland to ensure it meets high standards. Where we find that improvement is needed, we support services to make positive changes.
Our vision is that everyone experiences safe, high-quality care that meets their needs, rights and choices.
Our 600 staff work across Scotland, specialising in health and social care, early learning and childcare, social work, children’s services, and community justice.
Meet our Board and our senior leadership team.
We inspect individual care services
We register more than 11,000 registered care services in Scotland and our inspectors visit every one. Higher-risk services are inspected more often. Our inspectors talk to people using the service, staff and managers. We want to make sure that people experience high-quality care, and that care services are making a positive impact on people’s lives, based on their needs, rights and choices.
We give care services grades when we inspect them, and look at key areas like care and support, physical environment, quality of staffing, and quality of management and leadership. Each area of each care service is assessed on a scale from 1 to 6, where 1 in unsatisfactory and 6 is excellent. After every inspection, we publish an inspection report showing our findings, which is helpful if you are using service or thinking of doing so.
We inspect how care is provided across areas
We work with other scrutiny and improvement bodies to look at how local authorities, community planning partnerships and health and social care partnerships are delivering a range of services in their communities across Scotland. These inspections look at how well services are working together to support positive experiences and outcomes for people. This helps partnerships understand what is working well, and what needs to improve. You can read our joint inspection reports here.
Supporting improvement and driving up standards
Our job is not just to inspect care, but help the quality improve where needed. This means we work with services and support them, offering advice, guidance and sharing good practice to help care reach the highest standards. You can find lots of advice for care professionals on our dedicated website, The Hub.
We want everyone to experience high-quality care that meets their individual needs. Scotland’s Health and Social Care Standards describe what people should expect from care. The Standards are what we refer to when we are assessing how well care is performing.
What if things are not good enough?
If we find that care isn’t good enough, we take action. We can make recommendations for improvement and issue requirements for change and check these have happened. If a care service doesn’t improve, we can carry out enforcement action including, as a last resort, closing it down subject to the decision of a sheriff.
If you think a care service isn’t good enough you can share your concern or make a complaint to us. Find out more about concerns and complaints here.
The Scottish Regulators’ Strategic Code of Practice
The Care Inspectorate is required by the Regulatory Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 to follow the Scottish Regulators’ Strategic Code. The Code is issued by the Scottish Ministers and sets out the approaches we should take in dealing with those we regulate. We comply with the requirements of the Code in all that we do, ensuring that we always prioritise the safety, health and wellbeing of vulnerable people over commercial or business interests.
Care services in Scotland must be registered with the Care Inspectorate and a broad range of the individuals who work in those services must be registered with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC). You can find more information about the SSSC on their website.
Accountant
Job title: Accountant
Salary: £38,553 - £42,597
Location: Flexible – any Care Inspectorate office
Hours: 35 hours per week
Contract: Permanent
About us
We are the national regulator and scrutiny body responsible for providing assurance and protection for people who experience care services, their families, carers and the wider public, as well as supporting delivery partners to improve the quality of care for people in Scotland. Our vision is that people across Scotland experience high quality care that meets their needs, rights and choices.
We are a scrutiny body that supports improvement. We inspect individual care services and we also work with other scrutiny bodies to inspect the social care and social work services people are experiencing in their local areas.
Our desire is to achieve an effective and balanced way of working, that enables us to meet organisational needs and achieve a work-life balance that promotes wellbeing and collaboration opportunities. We are moving towards an expectation that all staff will work collaboratively, within and across teams, in person, for approximately 40% of their working week.
About the role
We have a permanent vacancy for an Accountant within our busy Finance and Corporate Governance Department within the Accounting Team.
Working in a busy team you will:
- lead, manage and provide professional advice to the accounting team
- compile financial information and support budget managers in the management of their budgets
- prepare monthly budget monitoring reports for senior managers and the Board as required
- help compile the Care Inspectorate annual budgets
- assist in the production of the Care Inspectorate statutory annual accounts
- prepare financial reports
- review monthly balance sheet reconciliations
- compile information for financial or statistical returns
- play a key role in ensuring resources are managed as efficiently and effectively as possible
- train and develop finance and non-finance staff.
- assist in other financial activities, such as monthly payroll and cashflow.
About you
To succeed in this role, you will ideally have the following:
- a degree level qualification
- membership of the Association of Accounting Technicians or part qualification with a Committee of Consultative Accountancy Bodies (CCAB) or equivalent, or a commitment to work towards this.
- strong financial management experience with the ability to generate, identify and interrogate financial data to support decision making.
- strong analytical skills with the ability to analyse complex data, identify trends and make decisions based on findings.
- be a strong communicator and be able to demonstrate your commitment to excellent customer service.
- be able to work on your own initiative and with minimal supervision.
- excellent problem solving and analytical skills.
- be able to work flexibly as part of a team.
- experience of line management including the training and development of team members.
Please note if you don’t meet the essential qualification criteria listed in the person specification, but feel you have relevant experience and would be willing to work towards achieving them, then we would welcome an application.
Next steps
You’ll find more information in the job profile and person specification below.
If you would like to have an informal chat regarding this role, please contact Dawn Johnston, Senior Accountant on tel: 01382 317977, or Gillian Berry, Accounting & Procurement Manager, on tel: 01382 207140 or via e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
If you believe that you are a suitable candidate for this post, please complete our online application form by 08:00 on Monday 30 September 2024.
We expect interviews to take place on 17 October at our Dundee office.
Administrator Support Assistant
Job title: Administrator Support Assistants (internally known as Chief Inspector Support Assistant)
Salary: £27,696 – £30,357
Hours: 35 hours per week
Location: Flexible (Any Care Inspectorate office) – with expectation of travel to Dundee Head Office for team working requirements
Contract:
-
1 x Temporary until 31 March 2026
-
1 x Permanent
About us
We are the national regulator and scrutiny body responsible for providing assurance and protection for people who experience care services, their families, carers and the wider public, as well as supporting delivery partners to improve the quality of care for people in Scotland. Our vision is that people across Scotland experience high quality care that meets their needs, rights and choices.
We are a scrutiny body that supports improvement. We inspect individual care services and we also work with other scrutiny bodies to inspect the social care and social work services people are experiencing in their local areas.
Our desire is to achieve an effective and balanced way of working, that enables us to meet organisational needs and achieve a work-life balance that promotes wellbeing and collaboration opportunities. Our hybrid working policy gives you the flexibility to mix working from home with attendance at your base office and other work locations, spending no more than 60% of your working time working from home, measured over a 4-week period.
About the roles
We are recruiting for one chief inspector support assistant on a temporary contract to cover maternity leave up until 31 March 2026. This postholder will provide a PA/administrative role in supporting the chief inspector for strategic scrutiny and their service managers. Their work focuses on the scrutiny, assurance and improvement of services provided by local authority social work services and partnerships. Their teams look at services for children and families, adults and older people and people involved with the justice system.
We are also recruiting for one chief inspector support assistant on a permanent contract and this postholder will provide a PA/administrative role supporting the chief inspector of early learning and childcare and their service managers. Their teams inspect registered care services for children before they attend school as well as those for school aged children. The range of services includes childminders, nurseries, playgroups, out of school care and some holiday provision. We also regulate childcare agencies for services provided in the parents’ home, such as nannies or au pairs.
Reporting to the executive support officer, you will be part of a small team of chief inspector support assistants and part of the wider executive and committee support team.
Duties will be varied and include prioritising correspondence, dealing with internal and external enquiries, composing responses to routine correspondence, managing diaries, making appointments, and arranging travel, accommodation, meetings, conference rooms, and hospitality for visitors as necessary.
Having excellent planning and organisational skills, you will be expected to co-ordinate the administrative process for Scottish Government briefings and adhering to strict deadline requirements.
The role will also include the preparation and circulation of agendas and paperwork for meetings, attendance at internal and external meetings, taking notes and action records, monitoring the shared mailbox and dealing with any tasks required, formatting documents for high level management meetings, maintaining staff list spreadsheets and assisting in the design and preparation of PowerPoint presentations as and when required.
About you
You will have experience of providing business support to senior management in a fast-paced change environment. You are highly organised and able to plan and manage your time and workstreams efficiently and effectively. You understand that priorities and deadlines can change quickly, and you respond flexibly and effectively.
You will have a proactive approach and be confident in using your own initiative. Your attention to detail is meticulous and you have a clear commitment to maintaining high standards. You are a great team worker and able to build and maintain good working relationships.
You will have excellent word processing and IT skills with experience of Microsoft applications, including a good working knowledge of Excel. You will also have experience of diary management and taking detailed notes or minutes.
Next steps
You’ll find more information in the job profile and person specification.
If you would like more information or an informal chat about the role please contact Claire Brown, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., please include a contact telephone number and times that would be best to reach you in your email.
If you believe that you are a suitable candidate for this post, please complete the online application form by no later than by 08:00 on Monday 7 July 2025.
It is anticipated that interviews will take place on 25 July 2025 at our Dundee office.
Applications Manager
Job title: Applications Manager
Location: Flexible - Any Care Inspectorate office
Salary: £55,530 - £61,314
Hours: 35 hours per week
Contract: Permanent
About us
We are the national regulator and scrutiny body responsible for providing assurance and protection for people who experience care services, their families, carers and the wider public, as well as supporting delivery partners to improve the quality of care for people in Scotland. Our vision is that people across Scotland experience high quality care that meets their needs, rights and choices.
We are a scrutiny body that supports improvement. We inspect individual care services and we also work with other scrutiny bodies to inspect the social care and social work services people are experiencing in their local areas.
Our desire is to achieve an effective and balanced way of working, that enables us to meet organisational needs and achieve a work-life balance that promotes wellbeing and collaboration opportunities. We are moving towards an expectation that all staff will work collaboratively, within and across teams, in person, for approximately 40% of their working week.
Starting salary
Please bear in mind that new entrants start on the grade minimum for the role. However, we have a generous benefits package which you will find on our website.
About the role
The Applications Manager is a hands-on role, leading a multi-disciplinary team to deliver the planning, software development, integrations, implementation, release and on-going support of our applications, with a support model that ensures the delivery of service standards to agreed service levels, and leading the development of digital standards through continual service improvement.
About you
You will be educated to SCQF level 9 (e.g. IT degree or graduate qualification in a Software Engineering or related field), with work experience of leading digital/software development in medium-to-large-scale public sector projects. Also, you will be familiar with cloud-based application and development platforms.
You will be able to evidence experience of:
- Strong technical expertise in application development, coupled with a comprehensive grasp of computer systems and databases.
- Possess analytical skills to identify and troubleshoot issues, utilizing problem-solving abilities to find solutions and determine root causes designing, building and delivering working solutions to meet customer needs.
- Leading software development and application support teams
- High attention to detail and accuracy with excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills across all levels in an organisation
- Ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment to deliver effective outcomes/targets on time.
- A range of application development technologies.
- Formal Project Management methodologies (for example Agile, Prince2, etc.).
Next steps
You’ll find more information in the job profile and person specification.
If you would like more information or an informal chat about the role please contact Graeme Ferguson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please include a contact telephone number and times that would be best to reach you in your email.
If you believe that your skills, experience and motivation make you a suitable candidate for this post, please download and complete an application form, and an equal opportunities form along with a cover letter and submit it by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 08:00 on Monday 21 October
It is anticipated that interviews will be held during the week commencing 4 November 2024 at a suitable Care Inspectorate office location.
Subcategories
Inspector - Early Learning and Childcare (ELC)
The early learning and childcare expansion…
Role: Inspector - Early Learning and Childcare (ELC)
Location: Forth Valley, Borders, Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, Edinburgh & Glasgow
Salary: £31,083 - £39,069 plus excellent benefits
Hours: 140 hours to be worked over a 4-week period
Contract: Permanent or 2-year secondment (would be considered)
Join us and make a difference – for you, for everyone
It’s our job to ensure care for everyone, everywhere in Scotland is as good as it can be. If you are as passionate about high-quality care as we are, and you’re experienced in your field, we’d love to hear from you.
About us
As a national scrutiny body that supports improvement. We inspect care services and partnerships across Scotland, report on the quality of care people experience, and support improvements in services to facilitate improvements in outcomes for people.
We inspect care services individually. We also work with other scrutiny bodies to inspect the social care and social work services people are experiencing in local areas.
We champion high-quality care whenever we encounter it across the thousands of inspections, we carry out each year, and we work closely with all care providers to support them to improve all the time. We collaborate with other organisations too, supporting improvement across public services. Our work plays a big role in reducing health and social inequalities between people and communities.
We are looking for talented people to join us in making a difference - specialists who understand how to put people’s needs, rights and choices at the heart of delivering social services – and how to lead improvement too. Our 600 staff work with services across the public, voluntary and private sectors. We have offices across Scotland and many of our staff work from home.
About you
Whether early or established in your career, you will share our determination that care, social work and justice services should work well for people – every time. You’ll be confident about what good-quality care looks like and how to deliver it. You’ll be good at analysing information and evidence. You will have excellent writing skills for narrative inspection reports that are clear, concise and focused on outcomes. You will be confident in working with a wide range of people and at supporting and advising on improvement.
You’ll currently be working, or have significant experience in, social care, social work, health, children’s services, early learning, child protection, or community learning and development. You will be registered or eligible to register with a professional body like the SSSC, NMC or GTC.
About the role
Our care inspectors work with care services: childminders, nurseries, care homes, care at home, housing support and a host of other specialist services. A specialist in your field, you may have helped lead a service and have a strong track record in delivering quality. You’ll be adept at leading improvement and influencing others. You will work with people experiencing care, and care service providers, managers and staff.
Why join us?
We strive to be a great employer, knowing that competitive salary, leave and pension schemes are only part of that. We pride ourselves on the values we hold, person-centred; fairness; respect; efficiency and integrity - all supported with a culture of care and kindness.
We believe in collective leadership and innovation. You’ll have a lot of autonomy to manage your own work and use the professional skills you’ve honed during your career – but in new ways. Starting on day one, our learning and development support will help you become confident in the craft of scrutiny and in supporting improvement. Because a lot of your role is about sharing effective practice across Scotland, the impact you can have on experiences and outcomes for people is significant. You will draw on management and leadership skills you’ve developed in the past.
We’re proud to be a progressive, supportive employer – we’re happy to talk about flexible working with you and we’re members of the Disability Confident Scheme, aiming to make the most of the talents disabled people can bring to the workplace.
New appointments will normally be placed on the minimum grade for the role; a higher starting salary may be offered in exceptional circumstances only.
ELC expansion
The Scottish Government is committed to expanding the provision of funded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) from 600 hours to 1140 hours per year by 2020. The expansion of ELC is aimed to support the reduction in the poverty-related attainment gap and improve long term outcomes for children and families.
Due to the ELC expansion programme we are looking for 7 further ELC Inspectors in addition to the “business as usual” Inspector campaign launched recently.
Principles and aims
The priority for the expansion to 1140 hours is to improve children's outcomes and close the poverty-related attainment gap. In addition, the expansion aims to support parents into work, study or training. The Scottish Government's four principles of the ELC expansion are: quality, flexibility, affordability, and accessibility.
The Scottish Government has stated that quality is 'at the heart' of the expansion and that achieving a high-quality ELC experience for children is a key objective.
Use and provision
A 2018 survey found that the main reason why parents use funded ELC is that they consider it beneficial for their child's learning and development. In addition, parents reported using the funded hours to either work, increase the number of hours they work, or look for work.
Funded ELC in Scotland is delivered by a wide range of providers including nurseries, crèches and playgroups, from across the public, private and third sectors. A small number of childminders also deliver funded ELC, but the Scottish Government hopes this number will increase under the expansion to 1140 hours.
Criteria to apply
- We require you to hold a relevant qualification (minimum SCQF Level 9), register with either the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) or any other relevant professional body and undertake PVG checks.
- You must also be prepared to do a Professional Development Award in Scrutiny and Improvement (Social Services) at SCQF level 10 with appropriate support from the organisation.
- You will have a minimum of three years recent and demonstrable management experience in a relevant field. You must also be willing to travel with overnight stays as required.
Before you apply
- Please contact the relevant body directly to resolve any queries you have regarding registration or eligible qualifications for registration (SSSC, NMC and so on) before submitting your application.
- For an informal chat about the job role, please contact (Who?) You or Kim Connolly, Team Manager on 07766133161
- For all other queries, please contact Human Resources at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
To apply
- If you are interested, please see the minimum criteria to apply as an Inspector and the specific guidance and directions to apply. Thereafter, click on the gateway questions link to apply.
- Your completed application form (campaign number C39 only forms) and equal opportunities form should be returned to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.no later than Monday, 14 October 2019 at 8.00am.
- We anticipate that selection days will take place in the week commencing Monday, 18 November 2019.