Aberdeen Law Project to act in social services fitness to practise cases

The Aberdeen Law Project, the pro bono law clinic operated by law students at the University of Aberdeen, is to advise and represent registered workers in social services whose fitness to practise is under investigation.

An agreement has been reached between the Project (ALP) and the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) which will provide workers with a new source of representation from this month and make the fitness to practise process more accessible.

The SSSC is the regulator for social services workers in Scotland. It protects the public by registering social service workers, setting standards for their practice, conduct, training and education, and by taking action when they fall below the standards of practice and conduct.

One of its strategic priorities is to ensure its fitness to practise process is proportionate and accessible, which includes support for those involved in investigations and hearings.

ALP Deputy Student Director, Martyna Proczek, commented: "Our initiative with the SSSC will increase access to justice and we are excited to begin operating in this space come February. Improving access to justice is key to our mission and we look forward to being able to assist SSSC registered workers across Scotland."

SSSC Head of Fitness to Practise, Martin Campbell, added: "The aims of ALP are closely aligned to our interest in improving the accessibility of the fitness to practise process. We have delivered training to ALP covering the legal framework the SSSC operates in and our processes. We look forward to ALP helping workers through the fitness to practise process."