SSSC guidance puts staff judgement at the centre of responsible AI use

The Scottish Social Services Council has published Responsible use of AI, a guide for workers and employers in Scotland’s social work, social care and children and young people services. The regulator’s newsroom lists the announcement on 10 November 2026. Find the guide on the SSSC website.

The accompanying resources set out five principles covering people’s interests, security, openness and consent, bias, and professional accountability. They call for organisationally approved tools, checks on generated information and continued use of professional judgement. The SSSC also provides a poster and explainer video. Read the principles and supporting resources.

Choose a specific task before introducing a tool

Managers considering AI can begin by naming the task they want to improve. Preparing a generic training agenda involves different information and decisions from drafting a care record. A clear description helps the service decide which tools, information and checks would be appropriate under its own policies.

For an initial staff exercise, use fictional material. Ask a worker to compare an AI-generated summary with the original account and mark any missing detail, added assumption or change in meaning. Discuss who would need to check the output before it could be used and how the team would report a problem.

Make approval and accountability easy to understand

A service’s instructions should let staff find out which tools are approved, what they may use them for and whom to ask when uncertain. Check that the same explanation reaches relief staff and new starters. Keep a named person responsible for reviewing concerns and communicating changes to the team.

The SSSC’s principles place responsibility for decisions with the professional using the tool. A manager can make that practical by asking staff to explain how they checked an output and what evidence supported the resulting action. Record recurring difficulties so the service can decide whether a particular use needs further work.

Featured image is an AI-generated illustration of a fictional setting.