Lifetime Achievement Award 2022

Sarah Lowe is an inspiring social worker, manager and leader who has spent more than four decades working tirelessly to improve the lives of adults and children with disabilities.  

Sarah spent the early part of her career running a multidisciplinary residential complex for this client group, before going on to become a parenting assessor in public and private law proceedings. She spent 20 years supporting parents whose children had entered court proceedings, and despite now being semi-retired she continues to meet with judges and barristers to keep the courts up to speed on good practice procedures.  

One remarkable achievement has been Sarah’s development of Parent Assess, a specialist parenting assessment framework that supports parents with learning disabilities to understand the process of being assessed. Piloted in Luton in 2016, the framework was an ‘overnight success’ and is now used widely across the country.  

Sarah later became head of the 0-25 disabilities service in Barnet, which she turned around from an ‘inadequate’ service to ‘good’ within four years. Those who worked alongside Sarah during this time said she had achieved ‘great things’ for Barnet’s families. 

Sarah has made a significant and long-lasting contribution to the profession. As her colleagues aptly commented, she is ‘a very special person’ whose commitment to social work has never wavered, making her a deserving winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award. 

Supported by Essex County Council.