A night to celebrate the outstanding contribution of Social Workers
A night to celebrate the outstanding contribution of Social Workers
Almost 450 people came together in London on Friday (8 November) to celebrate the incredible work of social workers across the country.
The Social Worker of the Year Awards promotes positive stories from the profession and gives recognition to those improving the lives of the people they support.
Established in 2006 by independent social work practitioner, Beverley Williams MBE, there are now 18 categories; each judged by an independent panel of social workers, people with lived experience, and senior figures from the world of social work.
This year’s ‘winner of winners’ was named as the People from Abroad Team at Norfolk County Council, receiving the Overall Social Worker of the Year Award and the gold award for Team of the Year, Children’s Services.
The judging panel noted, “The People from Abroad Team stood out as a group of social workers who have enabled the displaced and often stigmatised people they support to feel welcome, comfortable and safe.”
In recent years, the team has faced significant demand for its services. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it stepped in to provide support for over 100 asylum seekers placed at the first contingency accommodation in the East of England.
Following the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, it received as many families for resettlement as possible. It has also housed and supported Ukrainian families who are dealing with the effects of trauma.
In each case, the team has risen to the challenge. Staff are compassionate and empathetic and take a holistic, trauma-informed approach to their work. They are passionate about providing a positive experience for families and a property that truly feels like a home.
The team have also ensured that they have the skills to advocate for the people they support, taking on further learning to develop expert knowledge on immigration. This has included three social workers becoming registered immigration advisors.
The Overall Social Worker of the Year is chosen by the charity’s Board of Trustees, and it was unanimous decision that Norfolk County Council’s People from Abroad Team should receive the title this year.
Sherry Malik, Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees said: “The People from Abroad team provide a vital service for families and individuals fleeing their own countries and arriving here in circumstances none of us could ever imagine ourselves in.
“They support them to rebuild their lives, step by step – from accommodation to language needs, from schools for the children to getting to know the area and to settle in the community. They do it with compassion, kindness and without judgement and in creative ways with diminishing resources. Their work truly deserves this accolade.”
Upon winning the award, members of the People from Abroad Team said “This is just amazing and such a surprise! We love what we do because the people we work with are amazing, they’ve overcome adversity, and it makes us go that extra mile for them.
“We see people at their most vulnerable and we work to get them to a point where they no longer need us and can fly the nest. What is most important to us is empowering people to gain their independence and we know that we’ve done our best and we’ve made enough change that they won’t come back into the service.”
Other awards presented on the night included the Lifetime Achievement Award to Susan Banyard from West Sussex County Council who was recognised for being a dedicated social worker with over three decades’ experience.
Maris Stratulis, National Director of BASW England, said: “BASW England congratulates all of this year’s winners and finalists and extends our gratitude to all social workers across the profession for your incredible hard work, passion and dedication.
“From students and newly qualified, to educators, researchers, generic and specialist practitioners, professional leaders and experienced social workers engaged in direct practice, thank you for your invaluable contributions and for embodying social work values and ethics in all that you do, every day.
“We know that the social work profession faces many challenges with increasing pressures felt by the diverse and unique communities we support. During these difficult times, the role of social work is ever more critical, from upholding rights and challenging injustices, to advocating for fairness and promoting wellbeing.
“That’s why it’s important that, through these awards, we highlight your individual and collective achievements, recognise the exceptional services you deliver for children, families and adults, celebrate the diversity and intersectionality of our profession, and shine a well-deserved spotlight on exceptional social work practice happening across the country.”
Two new awards for this year included Practitioner-led Research Award for Anna Bouch at Brighton and Hove City Council and the Technology-Enabled Lives and Innovation in Practice Award which saw The Adolescent and Children’s Trust take a gold award for their TACT Connect initiative.
The Awards were hosted, for the fifth time, by BBC broadcaster and presenter Ashley John-Baptiste. As a care leaver himself, Ashley is passionate about raising the aspirations of looked-after children and fully credits his social worker for helping him get to where he is today. On the night, Ashley said, “There is something so uplifting about this event, in a system that is really challenged, hearing incredible human stories of how social workers are going above and beyond have genuinely changed lives for the better”.
Peter Hay CBE, Chair of Trustees for the Social Worker of the Year Awards, said “The Awards celebrate the very best in social work, showcasing the remarkable achievements of those in the profession. It’s a real honour to highlight the inspiring accomplishments of both individuals and organisations in this often-underappreciated field. Congratulations to all of our finalists and winners, and a heartfelt thank you to our sponsors for making these Awards possible.”
2024 Gold and Silver Winners:
Social Work Student of the Year 2024
- Silver Winner – Hannah Louise Barnes – University of Sussex
- Gold Winner – Tienga Ngale – Brunel University
University Social Work Lecturer of the Year 2024
- Silver Winner – Nigel Kelleher – Edge Hill University
- Gold Winner – David Marsland – University of Hull
Newly Qualified Children’s Social Worker of the Year 2024, supported by West Sussex County Council
- Silver Winner – Helen Podesta – Milton Keynes Council
- Gold Winner – Holly Shreeves – Central Bedfordshire Council
Newly Qualified Adult Social Worker of the Year 2024
- Silver Winner – Aaron Evans – London Borough of Hounslow
- Gold Winner – Elizabeth Okankor Badu – Central Bedfordshire Council
Practice Educator of the Year 2024, supported by London Boroughs of Richmond and Wandsworth
- Silver Winner – Maxine Burt – Essex County Council
- Gold Winner – Zainab Sulaiman – Cambridgeshire County Council
Technology-Enabled Lives and Innovation in Practice Award 2024
- Silver Winner – Technology Enhanced Lives Service – Kent County Council
- Gold Winner – TACT Connect – TACT- The Adolescent and Children’s Trust
Mental Health Social Worker of the Year 2024, supported by Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust
- Silver Winner – Georgie Dredge – Essex County Council
- Gold Winner – Fran Ashton – Humber NHS Teaching Foundation Trust & Hull City Council
Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) of the Year 2024
- Silver Winner – Kenton Fairweather – Sunderland City Council
- Gold Winner – Dr Matt Simpson – Wiltshire Council/Bournemouth University
Team of the Year, Children’s Services (including MDTs) 2024, supported by West Sussex County Council
- Silver Winner – The Children’s Mental and Emotional Health Team – West Sussex County Council
- Gold Winner – People From Abroad Team – Norfolk County Council
Team of the Year, Adult Services (including MDTs) 2024, supported by UNISON
- Silver Winner – St Richard’s Hospice Specialist Palliative Care Social Work Team – St Richard’s Hospice
- Gold Winner – Reconnect: Care After Custody – Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust
Practitioner-led Research Award 2024, supported by West Midlands ADASS
- Silver Winner – Hannah Kingsford – Kent County Council
- Gold Winner – Anna Bouch – Brighton and Hove City Council
Supportive Social Work Employer Award 2024, supported by Sanctuary Personnel
- Silver Winner – Hartlepool Borough Council
- Gold Winner – London Boroughs of Richmond and Wandsworth
Social Justice Advocate Award 2024, supported by Essex County Council
- Silver Winner – Dawn Henderson – Dorset Council
- Gold Winner – Anti-Racist Movement (A.R.M) – Independent platform for Black Female Social Workers nationwide
Team Leader of the Year, Children’s Services 2024
- Silver Winner – Danielle Jeenah – London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
- Gold Winner – Clare Luxton – Bath and North East Somerset Council
Team Leader of the Year, Adult Services 2024
- Silver Winner – Carol Monahan – Wiltshire Council
- Silver Winner – Joe Hockaday – Essex County Council
- Gold Winner – Sue Bunker – Shropshire Council
Children’s Social Worker of the Year 2024, supported by Cafcass
- Silver Winner – Hema Johal – Cafcass
- Gold Winner – Cherry F. Ricketts – London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
Adult Social Worker of the Year 2024, supported by Sanctuary Personnel
- Silver Winner – Parminder Sangha – Worcestershire County Council
- Gold Winner – Chloe Lambert – Shropshire Council
Lifetime Achievement Award 2024, supported by BASW England
- Silver Winner – Jennifer Gander – Brighton and Hove City Council
- Gold Winner – Susan Banyard – West Sussex County Council
Overall Social Worker of the Year 2024, supported by BASW England
- Overall Winner – People From Abroad Team – Norfolk County Council