Maintaining Registration Together

Dear Employers

It’s been a busy registration period for all of us and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your ongoing support. At the Social Care Council we have made considerable progress and we will continue to stay engaged and work in partnership with you.  We recognise the return of our registration system to normal working, after a period of almost 16 months during the pandemic, has impacted on registrants, employers and our staff. The high level of communications, issues and queries received has been managed in line with the resources which the Social Care Council has available. We are now beginning to see a reduction in the large number of support issues, however it is clear we need to do more to support employers and registrants to understand the importance of registration and how to maintain registration. 

This communication provides important information for employers about the maintenance of registration.

Payment of Annual Fees

• Registrants should pay their annual fee through their NISCC on-line account ‘My Portal’.  Registrants will need their login details and we ask that you encourage registrants to save this information. 
• For  registrants unable to pay their fee via their on line account, our fee lines for taking payments only are available every week day: 10am – 12 noon and 2pm – 4pm, however due to the high volume of calls registrants should expect a wait time.
• Registrants who fail to pay their annual fee will be removed from the Register.

3 Year and 5 Year Renewals

• Social Workers and Social Care Managers are required to renew their registration every 3 years from the date of their registration. 
• Social Care Workers are required to renew their registration every 5 years from the date of their registration.    
• Renewal is different to paying an annual fee and requires the registrant to complete a short form either confirming their details are correct or updating their details and confirming  they have undertaken their PRTL, and paid their fee.

It is imperative that registrants who are due to renew their registration complete their renewal form and pay their fee upon receipt of their reminder. I am seeking your support in assisting your registered colleagues to do the following:

1. To use their on line account to complete renewal forms and pay any outstanding fees.

1. To only complete one renewal form.  If registrants are unsure if they have commenced a renewal form they should click on the “My Applications” button which will show if a form has been started.  Please note that registrants will not be able to complete a new renewal form if there is already one in progress.

We are undertaking a quality assurance exercise on those registrants due to renew and have taken the decision not to remove any registrants who fail to renew until we have completed this exercise.  We will commence the removals process on Monday 11^th October 2021 for registrants who have not renewed by their due date.

Engagement Officer Support

• We have allocated resource to support you in your navigation of the Employer Portal and the registration of your staff.  Alison Shaw, Engagement Officer is available to provide information and support as required.  If you require support please contact Alison alison.shaw@niscc.hscni.net

For all other routine enquiries we ask you to continue to contact us via our registration email address: registration@niscc.hscni.net   

The Employer Portal provides you with real time information about the registration status of your staff including those who are:

• registered 
• due to renew their registration
• due to pay their annual fee
• due to be removed for non-payment of fees

We would encourage you to use the information in the Employer Portal to monitor and keep track of the registration status of your staff.

Registration Information Campaign

We are planning a supportive registration campaign with employers and registrants which will begin in September 2021. The campaign will reinforce the need for registrants to maintain their registration account and keep their personal contact details and their current employment details up to date. This campaign has been developed in collaboration with employers and will be shared through social media and directly with employers.

I trust the information contained in this communication is helpful and we will continue to keep you informed as we progress with developments to support the registration process.

Yours sincerely

Declan McAllister

Director of Registration and Corporate Services