Study Design: Administrative dataset
Source Social Care (SourceSC)
The Source Social Care dataset aims to provide a unified, high-quality evidence base for understanding the provision and impact of social care services across Scotland. By consolidating previous data collections into a single framework, it enables consistent monitoring of service delivery, supports strategic planning, and informs national policy. The dataset is designed to help health and social care partnerships, the Scottish Government, and other stakeholders assess care pathways, identify gaps, and improve outcomes for individuals receiving support. In recent years, Learning Disability Statistics Scotland (LDSS) has been merged into the Source dataset. This was done to: • Reduce duplication of effort at local authority level. • Improve data quality and consistency. • Enable better linkage with health data (e.g., using CHI numbers). • Provide richer insights into the care pathways and outcomes for people with learning disabilities. As a result, Source now includes learning disability data that was previously collected separately by LDSS.
Delayed Discharge Data – Public Health Scotland (DDD)
To monitor the timeliness and safety of hospital discharge in NHS Scotland by reporting, each month, on adults who are clinically ready to leave hospital but remain because the required care, support, accommodation or funding is not yet in place. The dataset provides counts of people delayed at a monthly census point, associated bed days within each month, and discharges following delay.
Complaints About Care Services Scotland (CACSS)
To provide statistics on complaints received and investigated about registered care services across Scotland, and to make underlying service‑level data available for analysis. The aim is to support scrutiny, regulation and improvement by showing volumes, sources and outcomes of complaints, alongside service characteristics, via an annual statistical bulletin and regularly updated Datastore.
Scottish Mental Health Inpatient Census (SMHIC)
The MHIC provides an annual point‑in‑time snapshot of all patients in mental health, addiction and learning disability inpatient beds funded by NHS Scotland, plus those treated outwith NHS Scotland but funded by NHS Scotland, and a linked census of Hospital‑Based Complex Clinical Care (HBCCC) and long‑stay patients. The purpose is to inform policy development, service planning, and performance monitoring at national and local levels. People admitted to mental health inpatient services typically require a combination of community social work involvement, supported housing, social care packages, carer support The census includes people with severe and enduring mental illness and conditions requiring long-term inpatient support, comorbid with social vulnerabilities.
Scottish Care Homes Census (SCHC)
An annual census of Scotland’s adult care homes that reports numbers of care homes, registered places, residents, admissions and discharges at national and local-authority level, covering all residents regardless of funding source. The collection underpins policy and planning (e.g., National Care Service), adding resident-level and financial information not available elsewhere. Please note that the annual Scottish (adult) care home census has been paused after 2025 collection.
Scottish Social Service Sector Workforce Data (SSSS-WD)
The dataset aims to provide an annual, comprehensive picture of the paid workforce employed across Scotland’s social service sector. It combines administrative data from the Care Inspectorate with information collected directly by the SSSC from local authorities. The overarching purpose is to support workforce planning, assess sector stability, identify trends across sub‑sectors, and inform national and local decision‑making.
Local Authority Social Work Services (LASWS) Census
The LASWS census gathers comparable workforce information from all 32 Scottish local authorities’ social work services each December (for a single reference date). It captures headcount and WTE by post type/grade, vacancies, starters/leavers and workforce characteristics (e.g., demographics), and feeds into SSSC official statistics and workforce planning outputs.
Carers Census, Scotland (CCS)
The Carers Census collects detailed information on unpaid carers supported by Local Authorities and Carer Centres across Scotland. It exists primarily to monitor implementation of the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016, which took effect on 1 April 2018, and to improve the consistency and quality of support available to carers. From 2023–24 onward the census moves to a biennial reporting cycle (next collection 2025–26) to enable quality improvements.
Social Care Eligibility Criteria And Waiting Times Scotland (ECEC-WT)
This statistical publication presents the latest information on new clients meeting local eligibility criteria for social care support and new personal care clients in Scotland, along with waiting times between (1) first contact and completion of a community care assessment, and (2) completion of assessment and delivery of a personal care service. The data are used to monitor the six‑week target for delivering personal care to adults assessed with critical or substantial needs and to inform policy on variation across local authorities.
Free Personal and Nursing Care, Scotland (FPNCS)
Free Personal and Nursing Care (FPNC) is a Scottish Government initiative aimed at providing free-of-charge personal and nursing care to adults assessed as needing these services. Initially introduced in 2002 for those aged 65 and over, it was extended to all adults in April 2019 under "Frank’s Law." The 2023–24 report presents the number of recipients and expenditure relating to FPNC across care homes and care-at-home services.
Scottish Government Social Care Survey (SGSCS)
[We have catalogued the latest/last two sweeps (2015 &2016) for the CASCID catalogue.] The Social Care Survey collated client‑level administrative data from all 32 Scottish local authorities on people assessed for, and receiving, social care services (e.g., home care, telecare/community alarms, housing support, meals, and self‑directed support). Its purpose was to provide consistent national statistics to inform policy and service delivery, and to enable linkage with health datasets for research on interactions between health and long‑term care.
Northern Ireland health and social care (HSC) workforce statistics (NIHSC)
This dataset provideS a regular picture of staffing levels across Northern Ireland’s Health and Social Care (HSC) system. It details the number of staff in post, their organisational distribution, staff groups, and long-term workforce trends. The data supports workforce planning, informs policy decisions, and enables transparency around recruitment activity and capacity within Nothern Ireland's HSC sector.
The Social Care Council Register for in Northern Ireland (SCCR)
Aims to provide an up‑to‑date picture of the social work and social care workforce registered in Northern Ireland. It draws on data submitted during registration and ongoing updates to the public facing register. The purpose is to show workforce demographics, employment locations, and areas of care in which registrants work, and to identify trends as people join, leave, or move within the workforce.
Quarterly carers’ statistics for Northern Ireland – QCSNI
Tables are regularly published which present findings from the latest survey of carers’ statistics for Northern Ireland. Figures are presented regionally and by health and social care trust in respect of completed and declined carers’ assessments, reassessments, completed reviews and reasons why offers to be assessed were declined. As the final two HSC Trusts went live with Encompass on 8th May 2025, no future updates for this publication will be available until full quality assurance on the new data source has been completed. CIB are striving to ensure this is completed as timely and thoroughly as possible.
Quarterly direct payments statistics – Northern Ireland (QDPS)
Presents quarterly information collected from health and social care (HSC) trusts on the number of and the amount paid by direct payments, broken down by HSC trust and client group. The direct payments information return is provided quarterly by the strategic planning and performance group (SPPG).
Clinical & Social Care Negligence Cases in Northern Ireland (CSCNC)
Note: the publication series was discontinued after 2022/23. To provide an annual statistical picture of clinical and social care negligence cases in Northern Ireland, covering how many cases were open, settled or closed in the year, the specialty or nature of the alleged incident, and the damages and legal costs paid. The series is produced to inform patient‑safety monitoring, transparency and service improvement.
Children’s Social Care Statistics for Northern Ireland (CSCS-NI)
This annual bulletin brings together official statistics on statutory children’s social care activity in Northern Ireland, collated from the five Health and Social Care (HSC) Trusts. It reports snapshots and annual flows for key service areas: children in need, the Child Protection Register, children in care (looked after), children’s residential homes, day‑care provision, foster carers, and young people subject to the Leaving Care Act. This informs service planning, performance monitoring and public accountability.
Care Not At Home Statistics – Northern Ireland (CNAH)
To report official statistics on adult social care services that are delivered outside people’s own homes in Northern Ireland, principally residential and nursing care, day care, and related activity, using routine administrative returns from Health and Social Care (HSC) Trusts.
Children Receiving Care and Support Census (CRCS)
The Welsh Government’s annual statutory data collection on all children (under 18) who have a care and support plan under the Social Services and Well‑being (Wales) Act 2014. It captures core characteristics (e.g., age, sex, ethnicity), reasons for support, parental factors, and selected health and education outcomes, providing an evidence base to monitor need and outcomes and to inform policy and service planning.
Social care workforce report – Wales
The dataset provides an annual, Wales‑wide, snapshot of the social care workforce covering workforce size and characteristics. This enables policy‑makers, commissioners and sector leaders to make evidence‑informed decisions about recruitment, retention, training and service planning. The collection gathers data from local authorities and commissioned providers and is analysed and published each year.
Adults receiving care and support census – Wales
The Adults Receiving Care and Support Census provide a Wales‑wide picture of adults (aged 18+) who receive social care services and have a care and support plan under the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014. It captures individual-level information about the types of care received, support needs, demographic characteristics, and how services are delivered. The census is designed to support policymaking, resource allocation, service planning, and research in Wales. The ARCS became a mandatory data return in April 2023.