Citation and commencement

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Qualifications of Chief Social Work Officers (Scotland) Regulations 1996 and shall come into force on 1st April 1996.

Interpretation

2. In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires-

"the 1962 Act" means the Health Visiting and Social Work (Training) Act 1962(2);

"the 1968 Act" means the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968;

"the 1983 Act" means the Health and Social Services and Social Security Adjudications Act 1983(3);

"the Council" means the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work constituted by section 1 of the 1962 Act(4) and continued in being by section 10 of the 1983 Act(5).

Qualifications of chief social work officers

3. The qualifications of the officer, to be known as the chief social work officer, appointed by a local authority under section 3(1) of the 1968 Act are hereby prescribed as follows:-

(a)attainment of one of the following qualifications-

(i)the Certificate of Qualification in Social Work;

(ii)the Certificate in Social Services; or

(iii)the Diploma in Social Work,

of the Council awarded in accordance with rules made under section 3 of the 1962 Act or, as the case may be, section 10 of the 1983 Act; or

(b)attainment of a qualification, obtained furth of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and certified by the Secretary of State, having regard to the standards for the Diploma in Social Work of the Council and after consultation with the Council, as one which he is satisfied is equivalent to such a Diploma; or

(c)attainment, prior to 30th September 1978, of a degree, diploma, certificate, associateship, recognition or membership specified in the Schedule to these Regulations(6).

Revocation

4. The Qualifications of Directors of Social Work (Scotland) Regulations 1978(7) and the Qualifications of Directors of Social Work (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 1993(8) are hereby revoked.

Regulation 3(c)

SCHEDULEQUALIFICATIONS FOR APPOINTMENT AS CHIEF SOCIAL WORK OFFICER (IF OBTAINED PRIOR TO 30TH SEPTEMBER 1978)

Degree, diploma or certificate awarded by a university, polytechnic or college of further education in Great Britain or Northern Ireland on successful completion of a full time course of studies in social work or applied social studies.

Certificate in probation work of the former Advisory Council for Probation and After-Care for England and Wales set up by the Secretary of State for Home Affairs in 1965.

Associateship as a psychiatric social worker of the former Association of Psychiatric Social Workers.

Letter of Recognition in child care from the former Central Training Council in Child Care set up by the Secretary of State for Home Affairs in 1947.

Certificate in Social Work of the Council when named the Council for Training in Social Work.

Certificate in probation work of the former Probation Advisory and Training Board for England and Wales set up by the Secretary of State for Home Affairs in 1949.

Registration as a qualified medical social worker in the Register of Qualified Medical Social Workers of the former Institute of Medical Social Workers.

Certificate in probation work of the former Scottish Probation Advisory Council set up by the Secretary of State for Scotland in 1932.

Certificate in probation work of the former Scottish Probation Advisory and Training Council set up by the Secretary of State for Scotland in 1959.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations prescribe the qualifications to be held by the person appointed to the office of chief social work officer by a local authority under Part I of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968.

The 1968 Act imposed an obligation on a local authority to appoint a director of social work. The Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 replaces that obligation as from 1st April 1996 with a requirement to appoint a chief social work officer.

Regulation 3 prescribes the qualifications to be held by a chief social work officer. These qualifications are similar to those which were prescribed in relation to directors of social work.

Regulation 4 revokes the previous Regulations which prescribed the qualifications of a director of social work appointed by a local authority.