Forty of the successful council employees were at the SVQ Assessment Centre’s 4th annual awards ceremony to pick up their certificates.

The SVQ Assessment Centre was established to promote good social care practice in Argyll and Bute and to give community care staff the chance to achieve the qualification required to apply for registration with the Scottish Social Services Council.

This year’s candidates received an SVQ in Health and Social Care Level 3 or Level 4 or the Leadership and Management of Care Services Award.

Assessors, colleagues, managers, elected members and Centre staff members heard from a range of speakers and joined with candidates to celebrate their success.

Argyll and Bute Council’s chief social work officer, Dougie Dunlop, said: “SVQs offer the council highly relevant qualifications and a flexible method of training.

“SVQs recognise and validate the practice of workers in Health and Social Care, providing opportunities for the individual to demonstrate their competence and reflect on their practice. Our Centre is responding to changing demands by offering other methods of delivery including a new web-based system, which has proved to be a huge success.”

The Provost, Councillor William Petrie, congratulated all the candidates on their success, praising their commitment to completing their training and to the client groups that they care for.

Chief executive Sally Loudon said: “The delivery of high quality care is a priority for Argyll and Bute Council and achieving this takes a well trained and well qualified workforce, especially in light of the changes in social care in relation to shifting the balance of care to enable more people to stay in their own homes.

“The SVQs being awarded today have a huge role to play in this process and it is appropriate to celebrate the success of these candidates in this way.”