Inspector (early learning and childcare)

Join us and make a difference – for you, for everyone

It’s our job to ensure care for everyone, everywhere in Scotland is as good as it can be. If you are as passionate about high-quality care and learning as we are, and you’re experienced in the field, we’d love to hear from you. We are looking for talented people to join us in making a difference.

About you

You’ll have recent experience of supporting the delivery of high-quality care and learning for children and you will have significant knowledge of current developments and challenges within the sector. With your expertise in ELC, including school age childcare and childminding, you’ll share our determination that care services should work well for children – every time.

We’re currently recruiting for vacancies in our inspection teams. We welcome applications from candidates across mainland Scotland, particularly Aberdeenshire areas, along with applications from applicants who are fluent in the Gaelic language or willing to develop their skills in this area.

About us

We are different because of our great benefits, our investment in learning and development, and the opportunity this role will give you to help shape high quality experiences in childcare across Scotland.

What you will be doing as an inspector

Making a difference through working with services delivering care and learning for children. You’ll listen carefully to children, and their families to understand what is important to them. You will evauate their experience of ELC, childminding or school aged childcare services. You will engage with care service providers, managers and staff and be confident in advising on improvement to support services to deliver improved outcomes for children.

Click here to watch a short video on what one of our inspectors has said about their role.

The skills you need

If you think this job is where you can make a real difference to children’s experiences, there are a few things you need. Whilst it’s important to have the basics, we will support you in developing your skillset as an inspector throughout your journey with us.

You’ll be confident about what good-quality care and learning looks like and how to deliver it across the ELC sector. You’ll be resilient and adaptable, can work on your own initiative or as part of a team, manage competing priorities, build effective networks with partners, and have strong communication skills. Equally, you’ll be good at analysing information and evidence, and you’ll have excellent writing skills to produce reports that are clear, concise, and focused on outcomes. You will have a sound and insightful understanding of the challenges facing the ELC sector and be an advocate for children recognising what is important to them.

We need you to have a relevant qualification (minimum SCQF Level 9) and be registered or eligible to register with a professional body like the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) or General Teaching Council (GTC). Please see further information at the bottom of this advert on recent updates to the registration process for the SSSC.

All new entrants will start on the grade minimum for the role however we have a generous benefits package which is highlighted below.

Salary and benefits

• Salary: £46,569 – £54,975 plus excellent benefits.
• Network of offices across Scotland.
• Flexible Hours: 140 hours to be worked over a 4-week period.
• Up to 37 days annual leave (after 5 years’ service) + 6 fixed public holidays.
• Contract: Permanent, two-year secondment, or locum (where candidates have previously worked for us as inspectors).

We desire to achieve an effective and balanced way of working, that enables us to meet organisational needs and achieve a work-life balance that promotes wellbeing and collaboration opportunities. Our hybrid working policy gives you the flexibility to mix working from home with attendance at your base office and other work locations, spending no more than 60% of your working time working from home, measured over a 4-week period.

In addition to our excellent benefits package, we also pride ourselves on the values we hold, person-centred; fairness; respect; efficiency and integrity – all supported with a culture of care and kindness. We’re proud to be a progressive, supportive employer, and equality, diversity and inclusion are important to us.

This is an exciting time to join the Care Inspectorate, with an opportunity to be at the heart of change as we consider the impact of the ELC expansion and the future expansion of one year old care and the Scottish Government’s commitment to school aged childcare. Playing our part in delivering on the Promise to Scotland’s children and young people.

We’ve recently changed our recruitment process and how we assess new people and now is the perfect time to come and join us.

What next?

Click here to find out more on our careers site. You can also contact the Recruitment team at recruitment@ careinspectorate.gov.scot for further information.

If you’re ready to apply now, please click here to access our gateway questions and application form. access the application form. Your application should be received no later than Monday 3 March 2025 at 08:00 .

The Care Inspectorate is committed to recruiting, retaining and developing a workforce that reflects the diverse communities that we serve. It is vital that we monitor and analyse diversity information so that we can identify how we can improve the way we meet the needs of our applicants and staff. To assist us to monitor the effectiveness of our equality and diversity practices, we would encourage you to complete the equalities monitoring form at the end of the application form.

We anticipate holding Stage 1 of our assessment process between Friday 14 – Monday 17 March, and Stage 2 no earlier than Monday 7 April 2025 over a 2 week period at one of our main offices.

If you successfully complete our selection process, we’ll either confirm you’re the preferred candidate for a suitable vacancy (based on your specialism and location) or you’ll be invited to join our talent pool for future vacancies that would be suitable for you.

Registration information and process

As an Inspector you will support the Assurance and Improvement Directorate to ensure that the Care Inspectorate meets its responsibilities as defined by the Public Services Reform Act 2010 and other relevant legislation.

The successful applicant must be registered with a professional body (this can be NMC, GTCS, NMC, HCPC, SSSC), within three months of appointment.

For SSSC registration, there is a specific registration category for Care Inspectorate Authorised Officers (AO). Regulated Care Inspectors who register with SSSC will do so as a Primary Authorised Officer under both types of work (Social Care and Children & Young People). Primary Authorised Officers will require to complete a Professional Development Award in Scrutiny and Improvement Practice within 5 years of initial registration.

Employees will be expected to maintain registration with the same professional body throughout their employment in the Care Inspectorate. This includes employees working in authorised officer roles who are recruited to the Care Inspectorate based on their registration with the NMC, GTCS, HCPC or other recognised professional body. It is a contractual requirement to maintain registration with the same professional body and employees should not transfer their registration to the SSSC from another recognised professional body, including the NMC, GTCS or HCPC.