They will join the 100,000 people already on the Register, including their managers and supervisors and people working in social work, adult care, children’s day and residential services.

Registration of this workforce is similar to nurses, doctors and teachers and provides public confidence that people working in these services have the right skills and are safe to do the job.

Anna Fowlie, SSSC chief executive, said: “Opening this part of the Register is a landmark for social services. People working in care at home and housing support services work with thousands of people with very different and complex needs, generally in their own homes. Registration with the SSSC is a step towards making sure we have the right people with the right skills and values for the job. Too often we hear about times when things have gone wrong, so it’s important to highlight that most people working in these services do an excellent job and should be valued and recognised for the challenging and life-changing work they do.

“People on our Register must meet a number of criteria including having a qualification, working to the SSSC’s Codes of Practice and a commitment to continuing to learn and improve their skills and practice throughout their career. All of these things work together to improve standards of practice and the quality of care, increasing public confidence in this essential workforce.”