Outstanding Contribution to Social Work

Anthony started out as a social worker 43 years ago, initially in the Rhondda Valley and then Hackney, and has dedicated his working life to social work ever since. Both his passion and resilience are part-fuelled by his experiences as an adopted child, which left him with a lifelong connection to many of the issues faced by the millions of vulnerable children and adults supported by social workers.

Anthony has written prolifically about social work for decades and more recently has produced four textbooks for social workers covering all aspects of frontline practice – child protection, mental health, adoption and partnership working. He is a visiting fellow of the University of East Anglia and Plymouth universities. In July this year, UEA awarded him an honorary law degree.

Since 2004, Anthony Douglas has been Chief Executive of Cafcass, the biggest national employer of social workers charged with articulating the voice of over 135,000 children annually in family courts throughout England. Ofsted rated Cafcass as outstanding in March this year. Ofsted called him an ‘exceptional, inspirational leader’.

Anthony has worked at every level in social care and chaired UK-wide policy organisation BAAF for ten years between 2006 and 2016. Throughout his career he has made significant contributions to changes in the law and regulations governing social work and has mentored many current senior social work leaders.

Anthony has raised significant funds for charity in many tough challenges. He is currently developing Voice of the Child standards for public services, including for social work, which he hopes will have an international reach and be formally accredited.

Anthony represents the best traditions of public service and public sector leadership. His contribution to the work of the family justice system and the welfare of children and vulnerable adults in England is truly outstanding.”