The Institute will continue to work with its many stakeholders and partners to improve and enhance social services provision in Scotland and beyond. The Institute has established formal partnership agreements with:-

• Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC),
• Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE)
• NHS Education Scotland
• Social Care Institute for Excellence

Under development are similar arrangements with:

• Scottish Leadership Foundation
• Colleges Open Learning Group (COLEG)
• JUCSWEC (Joint Universities Council - Social Work Education Committee)

The Institute will continue its work to improve the quality of initial qualifications, build leadership skills and provide professional guidance for social services students and professionals.

It will also focus on:

• creating opportunities for continuous learning to ensure those interested in developing advanced or specialist knowledge or skills can pursue fulfilling social services careers
• supporting and informing the development of organisational learning cultures
• developing a research and development strategy to underpin evidence-based practice, knowledge exchange and dissemination and continuous learning across the social services sector

In order to do this the Institute will:

• Establish a new Strategic Research Investment Unit, led by the universities, to  work with the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) and others to plan and deliver research that meets the needs of the profession and employers
• Develop better ways to involve stakeholders and gain from their expertise