Newly Qualified Children’s Social Worker of the Year 2022
Amy White
ORGANISATION: Essex County Council
AWARD(S): Newly Qualified Children's Social Worker of the Year
Amy White’s passion for giving children a voice shone through her nomination.
Starting her career in a children’s centre, Amy later became a children and young people’s support worker within the children’s with disabilities team, before undertaking her social work training. Since rejoining the team as a qualified worker, she has strived to ensure that the barriers to children expressing their views, wishes and feelings are truly broken down and has developed a number of initiatives to achieve this. This has included creating a One Page Profile for each social worker within the team to share with their children and families upon allocation, to help reduce anxieties ahead of a social work visit, and a direct work pack, which was described by her manager as ‘outstanding’.
Amy has also taken on the extra responsibility of becoming her team’s SEND champion, a role through which she has developed resources for children with special educational needs, and has been a strong advocate for joint working with other agencies.
Amy was credited by her colleagues as a social worker who makes you feel that ‘the future of social work is in safe hands’ – and it’s clear she has a bright future ahead too.
Supported by Children’s Social Work Matters.
THE FINALISTS
Silver Award
Mi-Gyung Kim, Achieving for Children
Silver Award
Skerntian Keri, Wiltshire Council
Maisie Pearce-Connor, London Borough of Hounslow
Joe Harrison, Essex County Council
Ivenna Finn, London Borough of Wandsworth
Dawn Bedwell, Essex County Council