Team Leader of the Year, Adult Services
Jack Skinner
ORGANISATION: Bradford Council
AWARD(S): Team Leader of the Year, Adult Services
It’s not difficult to see why all social workers in Bradford want to be in Jack’s team. He is a manager who is supportive, encouraging and truly leads by example.
But the impact Jack has had on social work in Bradford is perhaps most clearly evidenced by the improved performance to the mental capacity service since he became team manager. It’s gone from being a service with a backlog of over 2000 unauthorised Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) when he came into post, to just 45.
Despite only being in the role for two years, Jack has also led on a business case to help invest in the service and on the recruitment of social workers, creating a career pathway for newly qualified staff to become best interest assessors within his team. He has also been instrumental in delivering a bespoke training package to care homes across Bradford, which has been linked to improvements in their CQC inspection outcomes.
Jack’s colleagues put his successes down to his approach to the work and his values – he places people’s human rights at the centre of all that he does, and inspires his team members to be the best social workers they possibly can be.
WHAT THEY SAID:
I want to work for Jack!! He has inspired me just by reading his endorsements! Courage to use the MCA to empower customers is so important. Clearly an inspirational leader.
Jane Haywood, Team Leader of the Year, Adult Services Award Winner 2018
I think this nomination stands out as the reader can feel Jack's impact. He has achieved this in a short period of time. He works in a crucial and overloaded area - capacity assessments - and brings great energy to this issue. Of particular note is that everyone wants to work in his team - that is the ultimate accolade.
Anthony Douglas CBE, Outstanding Contribution to Social Work Award Winner 2018
I have always found Jack to be an incredibly supportive manager. He is never too busy to listen to whatever issues I’m grappling with and will drop everything to help out in my hour of need. His focus is always on upholding human rights and challenging discrimination. The strength of his values has definitely had a knock-on effect on my own values, I feel more like a social worker than ever!
Feedback from a social worker in Jack’s team
I would describe Jack as a 'quiet radical'. He is clever, funny, intelligent and has a natural, personable approach which enables all people who he works with and for feel totally at ease. He is exceptionally values-driven and the confidence he helps instill in others is the cornerstone of the service he manages.
Elaine James, Service Manager, Bradford Council
THE JUDGES
Anthony Douglas CBE
Maris Stratulis
THE FINALISTS
SILVER AWARD WINNER
Annika Leyland-Bolton, Doncaster Council
Grayson M Ellis, Birmingham City Council
Linzi Gow, Dorset Council
Nichola Bennett, Suffolk County Council
Paula Koustas, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
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