FAQs
A.HOW DO I ENTER?
To enter, you will need to register your details on our online entry system and complete the entry form for your chosen category.
Entries for the 2021 awards will open on 17th May 2021.
A.WHAT CATEGORIES ARE AVAILABLE?
There are 12 categories available to enter, across adult and children’s services.
Click here to see a full list of categories.
It should be clear which category would be suitable for you to enter, but if you have any questions or would like some advice, email awards@socialworkawards.com or call 01473 326 435.
A.IS THERE A WORD LIMIT?
Yes, some of the sections in the entry forms are limited to a maximum number of words. Entries with sections that are over the word limit will not be accepted.
A.CAN I SUBMIT SUPPORTING EVIDENCE?
You are welcome to submit support documents with your entry, however, we ask that you submit no more than two additional files, with a maximum of four pages, at a maximum file size of 5 MB. Supporting documents that exceed these guidelines will not be accepted.
A.CAN I ENTER MORE THAN ONE CATEGORY?
You are welcome to enter more than one category, however, you will need to complete and submit a separate entry for each entry. The criteria for different categories will often be very different, with the judges looking for different qualities and achievements, so you may need to tailor your nomination form accordingly to the category you are entering.
A.WHAT IS THE ENTRY DEADLINE?
Entries for the 2021 awards will close on Friday 23RD July. Entries submitted after this time will not be accepted.
Entries must be made via the online entry system.
A.WHEN WILL THE SHORTLIST BE ANNOUNCED?
The shortlist will be announced in early October.
A.HOW WILL THE JUDGING PROCESS WORK?
Our judging panel is made up of respected industry professionals, previous winners and people who have used social work services. Each judge will be given one or two categories to judge, and after entries close they will be sent the entry forms for review.
The panel will then meet virtually in August to discuss the entries in each category and determine a shortlist. We normally try to shortlist at least five entries for each category. Each entry will then be scored and Gold and Silver winners will be chosen for each category.
A.HOW DO YOU SELECT YOUR JUDGES?
The judging panel is made up of:
- Leading industry professionals; invited to join the panel based upon their expertise within the social work profession
- Former care leavers and people who have received support from social workers
- Representatives from some of our sponsors (to avoid any potential conflicts of interest they do not judge the category that they are supporting)
- Peers and colleagues (we invite a select number of winners from the previous year to join our judging panel for a year)
All judges kindly give up their time on a voluntary basis.