National Occupational Standards

This section contains information about how occupational standards are applied in social work and social care to maintain high quality social care services.  National Occupational Standards (NOS) describe best practice by bringing together skills, knowledge and values. National Occupational Standards are a valuable tool to be used as benchmarks for qualifications as well as defining roles at work, staff recruitment, supervision and appraisal. The Health and Social Care National Occupational Standards (NOS) are jointly owned by all the alliance partners within Skills for Care and Development and Skills for Health. Any reviews of NOS are undertaken jointly by all UK alliance partners.

NISCC is part of a project team which is reviewing the NOS for Health and Social Care. We are also consulting in NI on a review of the NOS for Children's Care, Learning and Development.  The  HSC NOS Review - July 2011 Update and HSC NOS Review - July 2011 Update which summarise feedback from consultations carried out May - July 2011 will be used to inform the next stage of the review.

Your input will be taken into account when revisions are made and revised NOS will be available for your consideration during the summer. If you have any additional queries or comments about this review, contact Gerry Cunningham, NISCC Sector Skills Manager.  

In this section ...

NOS in Social Work  NOS in Health and Social Care  NOS in Children's Care, Learning and Development  NOS in Contracting Procurement and Commissioning  NOS in Sensory Need/Impairment  NOS in Leadership and Management for Care Services

Downloadable documents ...

Occupational Standards Information Leaflet
NISCC May 2002

This introductory leaflet was produced by staff and service user representatives to provide a broad outline of what occupational standards are and how they are used to support service delivery and training for social care services.

Developing strategic uses of national occupational standards

Delivering high quality social care services requires strategic leadership and clear operational management. Managers using National Occupational Standards have found that the standards help to reinforce the link from strategy to operational management and to service standards. This leaflet considers how the standards can contribute to seven business areas:

1. Business planning
2. Workforce management
3. Benchmarking
4. Change management
5. Contract specification for care services
6. Marketing
7. Risk Management

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