(1)The Council shall prepare, and from time to time publish, codes of practice laying down standards of conduct and practice expected—
(a)of social service workers; or
(b)in relation to social service workers, of persons employing or seeking to employ such workers.
(2)Before publishing a code, the Council shall—
(a)obtain the consent of the Scottish Ministers to the provisions of that code; and
(b)consult the Commission, any person, or group of persons, prescribed by the Scottish Ministers and any other person, or group of persons, the Council considers it appropriate to consult.
(3)The Council shall keep the codes under review and shall vary the provisions of a code whenever, after such consultation, it considers it appropriate to do so.
(4)The employer of a social service worker shall, in making any decision which relates to the conduct of that worker, take into account any code published under subsection (1) above by the Council.
(5)The Council shall give a copy of a code so published to any person who requests such copy.