What impact could you make?
A young person entering this industry can expect a career working their way up from the bottom to the top. I started as a trainee and worked my way up to a senior practitioner.HayleySenior Practitioner
Social care at a glance
There are a lot of routes you could take in social care. You might work with the public, which will give you the chance to meet and care for a range of people with unique backgrounds and needs.
You could also provide behind-the-scenes support. By working as an accountant, chef, software designer or something else, you'll have a positive impact on the care people receive.
No matter what role you choose, working in social care changes lives for the better.
Employment
As of October 2025, there are around 207,600 people working in Scotland’s social care industry.
Future demand
Between 2025 and 2028, it's expected there will be 24,500 people needed to fill job openings in Scotland.
Job diversity
In 2025, the social care sector accounted for 7.7% of employed people in Scotland. With such a large workforce, there are opportunities for people of all backgrounds across the country to work alongside each other.
Get a career which changes people's lives for the better
We’ve pulled out some of the most popular social care job profiles for you to explore.
Things you may not know about social care
One in 13 people employed across Scotland work in social services.
Source: Careers in Care
Many employers in social care are moving towards value-based recruitment. This means they’re looking for people who hold the key values they need.
Source: Scottish Social Services Council
There are over 10,000 social workers registered with the Scottish Social Services Council in Scotland.
Source: Careers in Care
What subjects you could take in school
We've pulled together some examples of subjects and Foundation Apprenticeships (FAs) that could be useful for getting into a social care career.
Social Services and Healthcare FA
English
Social Services Children and Young People FA
Skills for Work Health and Social care
Psychology
Sociology
Care
Childcare and Development
Art and Design
People and Society
Organisations making a difference
Discover some of the organisations within social care and how they’re making an impact on the industry.
Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC)
SSSC is the regulator for social care workers in Scotland. Anybody who studies or works in social care needs to register with them.
Visit Scottish Social Services Council
Adult Social Care
Adult Social Care supports care workers across Scotland. They have valuable resources and case studies that can help, whether you’re in a job or looking for one.
Visit Adult Social Care
Health careers NHS
Find out what it's like working in social care.
Visit health careers NHS Careers in Care
Careers in Care is run by SSSC. Use this website to choose a pathway and learn about the life-changing work you could do.
Visit Careers in Care