The Scottish Social Services logo   Linking the common core skills to the National Occupational Standards

 

What is the Common Core and how can you use this resource?

Common Core of skills, knowledge and values

The Common Core of skills, knowledge and values outlines the key attributes that everyone working with Scotland’s people should have. It provides an opportunity for shared understanding and practice across different services to meet individuals’ needs and improve outcomes.

The Common Core attributes are central to everyone working across justice, health, community learning and development and social services. They apply to everyone working in the private, voluntary or public sector including volunteers, self-employed or people employed through agencies.

Although primarily for those working with adults everyone, including people who work with children and young people, can use the Common Core.

Demonstrating the Common Core attributes can support improved experiences and outcomes for people using services and has benefits for workers and employers too.

Linking to National Occupational Standards

National Occupational Standards (NOS) form the basis of qualifications and training programmes required to work in social services in Scotland and to register with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC).

NOS describe the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to do a particular job to a nationally recognised level of competence.

This resource makes broad links between the Common Core of skills, knowledge and values and the NOS.

It links to the NOS which form the core units for SVQ qualifications at Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) level 6, 7 and 9.

Social service employers can use these broad links between the Common Core and the NOS in recruitment and selection, induction and in the learning and development of workers.

Workers can use the links to see that by meeting NOS they are also evidencing the identified Common Core skills, knowledge and values relevant to their role. Workers may want to highlight these when providing evidence for their SVQ assessment.

Key values

We identified the key values of respect, collaboration, participation and dignity and empowerment in the Common Core which you will see as overarching principles relating to the skills and knowledge. Click on the arrows at each side of the key values arch to cycle through the value definitions.

Then see the four skills and knowledge headings.

  • Skill: Self-awareness – understand yourself and others.
  • Skill: Building trust – recognise the importance of relationships.
  • Skill: Promoting dignity and fairness – get to know how people want to live.
  • Skill: Engaging people – support everyone to be included.

Each heading is further divided, scroll over each of these 16 subheadings and you will see the broad links to p (performance) and k (knowledge) from the NOS to the Common Core skills. Select the link and it will take you to details of the specific NOS.

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Get started by choosing a value or skill

Overarching values

Use the arrows at each side of the arch to learn more

 

 

Skills

Self awareness - understand yourself and others

Building trust - recognise the importance of relationships

My personal feelings Individuality My personal development My impact on others Honesty and integrity confidentiality keeping people safe managing challenge

Promoting dignity and fairness - get to know how people want to live

Engaging people - support everyone to be included

Additional National Occupational Standards

Clicking on the SCQF levels below will give a list of additional NOS which have clear links to the Common Core.

You may also like to look at the universal knowledge in each of the different SCQF levels as they will provide connections between the Common Core skills, knowledge and values which run through most NOS used by the social service sector.

Level 7

Level 9

 

Honesty and integrity confidentiality keeping people safe managing challenge Active Listening Shared decision making facilitation team work Enabling potential A flexible approach Working with people Accessing help and resources