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about
who we are and what we do
training
bespoke school age childcare training and consultancy
shop
templates, toolkits, and useful resources
Free Downloads
Free downloads for our members
Parent Finance October 2024
October Break 2024 update
Parent Finance
Customisable posters to help you advertise to your parents how much your service could actually cost if they access Universal Credit or Tax-Free childcare
Summer Activities Booklet
A variety of resources and activities for fun holiday experiences
Policy Bundles
Collections of policies and procedures for all areas of your organisaiton.
all policies bundle
All the policies in the Core, Rights, and Leave Policies Bundles
subscribers:
£45
non-subscribers:
£70
sale:
£60
clearance:
£30
core policies bundle
A collection of 8 core policies for your organisation and your staff.
subscribers:
£20
non-subscribers:
£30
leave policies bundle
A collection of 7 policies for different types of staff leave and pay.
subscribers:
£20
non-subscribers:
£30
rights policies bundle
A collection of 7 policies looking at rights within your organisation.
subscribers:
£20
non-subscribers:
£30
Shop Info
Shop information and instructions
policies
a selection of template policies for school age childcare services
menopause policy
menopause policy
subscribers:
£4
non-subscribers:
£8
time off for dependants policy
time off for dependants policy
subscribers:
£4
non-subscribers:
£8
staff data policy
staff data policy
subscribers:
£4
non-subscribers:
£8
sick pay policy
sick pay policy
subscribers:
£4
non-subscribers:
£8
shared parental pay and leave policy
shared parental pay and leave policy
subscribers:
£4
non-subscribers:
£8
redundancy policy
redundancy policy
subscribers:
£4
non-subscribers:
£8
recruitment policy and procedure
recruitment policy and procedure
subscribers:
£4
non-subscribers:
£8
paternity policy
paternity policy
subscribers:
£4
non-subscribers:
£8
parental leave policy
parental leave policy
subscribers:
£4
non-subscribers:
£8
parental bereavement pay and leave policy
parental bereavement pay and leave policy
subscribers:
£4
non-subscribers:
£8
other statutory leave entitlements note
other statutory leave entitlements note
subscribers:
£1
non-subscribers:
£2
absence policy
absence policy
subscribers:
£4
non-subscribers:
£8
maternity policy
maternity policy
subscribers:
£4
non-subscribers:
£8
holiday entitlement
holiday entitlement
subscribers:
£4
non-subscribers:
£8
health and safety policy
health and safety policy
subscribers:
£4
non-subscribers:
£8
grievance procedure
grievance procedure
subscribers:
£4
non-subscribers:
£8
equality and inclusion policy
equality and inclusion policy
subscribers:
£4
non-subscribers:
£8
disciplinary procedure
disciplinary procedure
subscribers:
£4
non-subscribers:
£8
complaints procedure
complaints procedure
subscribers:
£4
non-subscribers:
£8
compassionate or bereavement leave policy
compassionate-or-bereavement leave policy
subscribers:
£4
non-subscribers:
£8
carer leave policy
carer leave policy
subscribers:
£4
non-subscribers:
£8
adult support and protection policy
adult support and protection policy
subscribers:
£4
non-subscribers:
£8
toolkits
a selection of tookits for school age childcare services
Risk Assessment Toolkit
A selection of Daily Checklists and Risk-Benefit Assessment (RBA) Templates
subscribers:
£20
non-subscribers:
£30
Recruitment Toolkit
Everything you need for the recruitment process, including job descriptions, application forms, advert templates and more
subscribers:
£18
non-subscribers:
£27
sale:
£10
Medication Management Toolkit
Medication storage, administration and record keeping
subscribers:
£20
non-subscribers:
£10
sale:
£1
Personal Plan Toolkit
Everything you need to create personal plans within your service
subscribers:
£15
past-subscribers:
£20
clearance:
£10
membership
Become one of our members
BLOG
Thought and opinions from SOSCN staff and other colleagues
2023
June
Limited or Lack of Local School Age Childcare
This survey addressed the issue of whether parents and carers have access to sufficient school age childcare to meet their needs
March
SOSCN's letter to First Minister Candidates
We have sent a letter to each of the three candidates for First Minister
January
Children's safeguarding at risk in unregulated out of school settings in England
The UK Government Department for Education published a report in November 2022 which has raised serious concerns about the safety and wellbeing of the millions of children in England who attend out of school settings
2022
December
Staying Safe and Professional Online as a Social Care Worker
November
Reconnecting - to care for others you need to care for yourself
Access to Childcare Fund - The Learning So Far
September
It's good to chat - SSSC Codes of Practice Conversation
Having a ball in the holidays
August
Superheroes are real- they work in school age childcare
March
A time for change- reflection on the 2021 OSC Workforce Survey Results
2021
August
Stories of Summer 2021
April
Scottish Parliament Election Manifesto Overview 2021
March
The longest year- a reflection
February
The Finnish way to a happier childhood - Putting Children First
2020
November
Reflections on the Week
September
Re-opening services - keeping your staff onside!
Low pay and limited hours are push and pull factors which create a churn in the Out of School Care Workforce
April
Reflections on our journey and the way ahead
March
Coronavirus Covid-19 Potential Impact on Out of School Care, Breakfast and Holiday Clubs
Coronavirus Covid-19 Information Update Monday 2nd March 2020
February
Promising Children - a brief overview of the Care Review
2019
November
OSC draft framework consultation- the time to have your say is now!
Working to live or struggling to get by? Why the Real Living Wage is important.
October
Welcome proposal for free holiday childcare
Giving Parents and Children a say in the Framework for Out of School Care
Out of School Care in Scotland Continues to Grow
April
Success for our STEM Champions in Out of School Care
OSC Workforce - Most Recent Scottish Social Services Council Statistics
Training Opportunities for Out of School Care services- a selection of what's available
March
Supporting OSC Across the Country
February
Recent International policy and research briefing for members February 2019
Equal play? Does your service support or challenge gender stereotypes and roles?
CHANGE Project and T.I.C.T.A.C.S. - low cost quality template test of change
2018
August
Animal Magic- animals in care settings and children in animal settings...
July
Top free foody activities you can do over the summer break
March
Out of School Care - believing that children matter
It's good to chat - SSSC Codes of Practice Conversation
It's good to chat - SSSC Codes of Practice Conversation

We have previously highlighted that the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) are now reviewing their Codes of Practice for the first time since 2016. It is an 18-month process which will see the new Codes launched in 2024 and to begin with, the SSSC are seeking feedback as to what the revised Codes could say and how they could look. Currently, and up until the end of October, the SSSC are encouraging services to undertake ‘Codes Conversations' with staff to find out their thoughts and feedback to the SSSC.

SOSCN decided to participate in this process and recently held two online conversations with member services. Over the two sessions there were about 40 participants, with the conversations lasting no longer than an hour each time. We used the resources and format suggested on the Codes Conversation page which also included 3 prompt questions and an introductory video. In addition to the SSSC's three questions, we asked three of our own to gauge how and if, the Codes are currently used:

  • How (often) do you refer to the Codes of Practice in terms of staff development and appraisal?
  • How (often) do you use the Codes of Practice to ensure you are meeting them as an employer?
  • How do you promote the Codes of Practice to service users and other professional colleagues?

The discussions were useful not only in terms of seeing how the future Codes could be developed but also how they could be better used and promoted currently. Ideas for current use included referring to them in inductions and staff appraisals, and by relating them to job descriptions as well using them to develop documents like Staff Charters. It was also discussed how the Codes could be a useful tool to promote the professional status of the sector with parents and other colleagues, such as teachers.

We would encourage you to have your own conversations as it may help shape the future of the Codes and at the same time reconsider how you can use the Codes more meaningfully now.

Read more about the SSSC Codes of Practice Conversation:

https://news.sssc.uk.com/news/codes-conversation

Staff Interactions with Children
Key UK Budget announcements October 2024
Social Care: Independent Review of Inspection, Scrutiny and Regulation in Scotland - call for evidence
National Outcomes Review 2023
Inquiry into Child Poverty and Parental Employment
Adverse Weather and Extreme Temperature
A Quality Framework for Early Learning and Childcare, School Aged Childcare and Childminding Services
Personal Plan Toolkit
subscribers:
£15
past-subscribers:
£20
clearance:
£10
£10
Medication Management Toolkit
subscribers:
£20
non-subscribers:
£10
sale:
£1
£1
Recruitment Toolkit
subscribers:
£18
non-subscribers:
£27
sale:
£10
£10