Overall Social Worker of the Year
Zahraa Adam
ORGANISATION: Essex County Council
AWARD(S): Overall Social Worker of the Year
Although a newly qualified social worker, Zahraa has achieved an incredible amount in her first year of practice.
What made Zahraa stand out to the Trustees was her creativity and the way in which she goes above and beyond the expected to achieve the best results for her service users. Just one example of this was her efforts to encourage more Muslims to foster – she researched quotes from the Koran to show why it was a good idea and took them, along with cupcakes and two team managers, to the local Mosque.
During her first year Zahraa managed a nationally high profile case and the Trustees were amazed to read the commendation she received from the country’s top family judge who praised the quality of her written report.
Despite being at such an early stage in her career, Zahraa has thrived and is developing into an incredibly capable practitioner with genuine warmth and vitality. The Trustees said she is undoubtedly a star for the future and believe her passion and enthusiasm for the social work profession deserve to be recognised by the title of Overall Social Worker of the Year 2014.
WHAT THEY SAID:
We are delighted to be able to present the Overall Social Worker of the Year Award to Zahraa. Her passion and drive is an inspiration to us all and there is no doubt that she will forge an excellent career in social work.
Ray Jones, Chair of the Board of Trustees, Social Work Awards
The energy, dedication and commitment to social work that Zahraa possess shone through in her entry. She has proactively engaged with hard-to-reach communities and is a real credit to the profession.
Beverley Williams, Founder, Social Worker of the Year Awards
Zahraa’s creative practice and thinking make a huge difference to the lives of service users. Adoptive parents said they were “blown away” by a life story book she made for their child and after a service user expressed an interest in photography, she went out of her way to buy a disposable camera to enable him to document his feelings in a creative way.
Ruth Smith, Editor, Community Care
It’s exceptional to see an NQSW go to the lengths that Zahraa has for her service users. With this award we want to promote excellent practice and she is a very worthy winner.
James Rook, Managing Director, Sanctuary Social Care