General Social Care Council

General Social Care Council (GSCC) was a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom which was responsible for the registration, regulation and training of social workers and social care workers. The GSCC was replaced by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) in 2012.

History

The General Social Care Council was established in 2001 under the Care Standards Act 2000, with the aim of raising standards in social care services. It was the first regulatory body for social care workers in the UK. The GSCC was dissolved in 2012 and its functions were transferred to the Health and Care Professions Council.

Functions

The GSCC had several key functions, including:

• Registering social care workers and maintaining a public register of those who met the required standards.
• Setting standards for conduct, performance, and ethics for social care workers.
• Regulating education and training for social care workers.
• Taking action to protect the public when social care workers fail to meet the required standards.

Registration

To be registered with the GSCC, social care workers had to meet certain criteria, including having the necessary qualifications and experience, being of good character, and agreeing to adhere to the GSCC's codes of practice.

Codes of Practice

The GSCC developed Codes of Practice for social care workers and employers of social care workers. These codes set out the standards of conduct and practice expected of social care workers and their employers.

Closure

The GSCC was closed in 2012 following a decision by the UK government. Its functions were transferred to the Health and Care Professions Council, which now regulates social workers in England.

See also

• Health and Care Professions Council
• Social work in the United Kingdom
• Care Standards Act 2000