Finalists announced for Social Worker of the Year Awards
The wait is over for social workers across the country as the final shortlist for this year’s Social Worker of the Year Awards has been revealed.
The shortlist, which features 52 outstanding practitioners, teams and organisations in 11 categories, was chosen by an independent judging panel made up of young care leavers, social workers, industry leaders and people with lived experience of social work.
Alongside categories highlighting exceptional practice in children’s and adult services, mental health and social work education, two new awards have been introduced in this year’s event programme – University of the Year and the Social Justice Advocate Award.
The winners for each of the 11 categories will be revealed during a special virtual awards ceremony broadcasted live from London on Wednesday 17 November. One individual category winner on the night will also be crowned as ‘Overall Social Worker of the Year’, an accolade chosen exclusively by the Social Work Awards Board of Trustees.
Peter Hay CBE, Chair of the Social Work Awards, said: “As a charity, we are delighted to bring back the awards this year to shine a light on the inspirational achievements of an often overlooked profession.
Thank you to the hundreds of people who took the time out of their day to nominate a friend, colleague, or team for an award this year. And, to everybody nominated for an award, congratulations. Being nominated for a national award, whilst supporting others to navigate through the turbulence caused by the pandemic, is a remarkable achievement of which you should be very proud.”
Social Work England, S12 Solutions and the local authorities of Gloucestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Bradford, Middlesbrough, Southampton, Dudley, West Sussex, Derbyshire, Luton and Suffolk support the awards this year as Thank You sponsors.
The full Social Worker of the Year Awards 2021 shortlist is as follows:
Student Social Worker of the Year (Supported by Dorset Council):
• Sarah Mail, Kingston University
• Carrie Evans, University of Lancaster
• Justine Bishop, University of Warwick
• Lucy Collier, University of Winchester
• Abigail Davey, Anglia Ruskin University
Newly Qualified Social Worker of the Year (Supported by Waltham Forest Council):
• Rosemarie Connor, Devon County Council
• Guy Blacklock, Warwickshire County Council
• Finn Jarvis, Gloucestershire County Council
• Anna O’Brien, Hull City Council
• Florina Rice, Devon County Council
• Christine Norman, Dorset Council
• Michelle Pullen, Shropshire Council
• Marie-Anne Holland, Cafcass
Adult Social Worker of the Year (Supported by Wandsworth Borough Council):
• Chris Vass, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
• Melanie Noel, Essex County Council
• Natasha Karmali, London Borough of Hillingdon
• James Thomas, London Borough of Tower Hamlets
• Lucy Law, Essex County Council
Children’s Social Worker of the Year (Supported by Children’s Social Work Matters):
• Paige McMahon, Derbyshire County Council
• Marissa Langley, Surrey County Council
• Liam Mills, Portsmouth City Council
• Alexandra Capitani, Coventry City Council
Team Leader of the Year (Supported by Devon County Council):
• Sam Roper, Knowsley Council
• Kudakwashe Kurashwa, London Borough of Hillingdon
• Dianne Fossey, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils
• Amanda Haylock, Portsmouth City Council
• Zakia Bouyis Loughead, Birmingham City Council
Mental Health Social Worker of the Year (Supported by Essex County Council):
• Rebecca Owen, Somerset County Council
• John Leavy, Achieving for Children
• Daniel Wilding, Livewell Southwest
• Tulane Chiarletti, Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust
• Kevin Waggott, Northumberland County Council
Practice Educator of the Year (Supported by BASW):
• Laura Lowe, Dorset Council
• Elaine Sharpe, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
• Claire Skilleter, Norfolk County Council
• Anne Cooper, Gloucestershire County Council
• Peter Walker, Worcestershire County Council
Social Justice Advocate Award (Supported by BASW):
• Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children Team, Norfolk County Council
• Aedan Wolton, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Vivian Okeze-Tirado, West Sussex County Council
• Cynthia Minett and Eniola Obikoya, Gloucestershire County Council
• Wayne Reid, British Association of Social Workers
• Sensory Support Team, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
Team of the Year (including MDTs) (Supported by UNISON):
• Preparation for Adulthood Service, Bradford Council
• Leaving Care Service, Derbyshire County Council
• Keeping Families Together, Darlington Borough Council
• Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw Children’s Hospice
• Integrated Discharge Team, Derbyshire County Council, Derby City Council and Royal Derby Hospital
University of the Year (Supported by Torbay Council):
• Durham University
• Bournemouth University
Social Work Employer of the Year (Supported by Sanctuary Personnel):
• Essex County Council
• Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust