Achievements in adoption celebrated at awards

The awards, run by First4Adoption, celebrated achievements in social work and adoption blogging

By Luke Stevenson on October 23, 2015 in Children, Fostering and adoption

Edward Timpson and Jo Davis - winner, social worker of the year award. Photo: First4Adoption

Successes in adoption were celebrated at the Foundling Museum in London this week, as part of the National Adoption Week Awards.

Jo Davis of Hampshire Adoption won the social worker of the year category in the awards run by First4Adoption.

She was recognised for her “dedication to her work after she consistently went out of her way to support both adoptive parents and the children under her care, working unconventional hours to provide everyone with the care they need”.

The children’s minister, Edward Timpson, attended the ceremony on Wednesday, which was hosted by actress and singer Clare Grogan, who has an adopted daughter, and Scott & Bailey actress Lesley Sharp, who was adopted when she was six weeks old.

Coram Cambridgeshire Adoption won excellence in adoption practice, while blogger Al Coates won adoption blogger of the year.

The lifetime achievement award was given to Alan Burnell, co-founder of Family Futures, and Ben Carpenter was awarded adopter champion of the year.

Florence Forster, 12, was present after winning the adoption celebration card competition.

Photos of the winners are below.