Social Worker of the Year Awards 2018 open for entries
Entries are now open for the 2018 Social Worker of the Year Awards.
Now in their 12th year, the awards aim to recognise the excellent and diverse work that takes place in the social work profession, celebrating the many outstanding achievements of qualified social workers across England.
There are sixteen categories in total across the specialisms of both children’s and adult services. Awards include Social Worker of the Year, Team of the Year, Team Leader of the Year and Newly Qualified Social Worker of the Year. There are also categories to recognise social work students, practice educators and practitioners working in the field of mental health.
This year there is a new category – ‘Making a Difference’, which is for qualified social workers not employed by a local authority, who have made a positive difference through their outstanding work. This includes independent social workers, regulators and those working in the charity sector.
The winners of two additional awards – Outstanding Contribution to Social Work and Overall Social Worker of the Year – will be chosen by the Board of Trustees of the Social Work Awards Ltd., the charity behind the annual celebration.
Peter Hay CBE, Chair of the Charity, said: “We are thrilled to be launching this year’s Social Worker of the Year Awards, which provides a rare opportunity for the most dedicated social workers in England to get the recognition they deserve. The awards are continuing to get bigger and better and this year we’re putting an even greater focus on those who social workers support, by involving them in our judging panel and encouraging them to nominate.”
James Rook, Managing Director of the awards’ headline sponsors, Sanctuary Social Care, added: “We are delighted to be supporting the Social Worker of the Year Awards again in 2018. So often the dedication of social workers goes unrecognised, but we want to help change that with these awards. If you have an inspiring colleague or social worker who has made a positive difference to your life, make sure you nominate them this year.”
Earlier this month the achievements of winners from the 2017 Social Worker of the Year Awards were officially recognised by government Ministers at an exclusive Parliamentary Reception which took place in the House of Commons. The practitioners were congratulated by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families, Nadhim Zahawi MP, award patrons Tim Loughton MP and Emma Lewell-Buck MP and the two Chief Social Workers, Lyn Romeo and Isabelle Trowler.
As well as launching this year’s awards, organisers have also announced which organisations have signed up to support the event this year. Sanctuary Social Care is returning as the event’s headline sponsors, while the British Association of Social Workers is once again the awards’ Corporate Partner.
Meanwhile UNISON, Barnardo’s, Kent County Council, Devon County Council, Hampshire County Council, Essex County Council, City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council and Tees Valley Local Authority Children’s Services are all returning as individual category supporters.
The Social Worker of the Year Awards 2018 will take place in November in London. Entries will be accepted via a new online entry system until midnight on Friday 20th July.