Inspiring Images of Social Care: enter our 2016 photo competition

“Irrelevant of age, those involved are captivated by the same thing,” said older people’s charity, Equal Arts, of their winning image from Community Care’s 2015 Inspiring Images of Social Care competition. The photo (above) captured a weekly transgenerational session at Cranlea Care Home in Newcastle, with children from a neighbouring school.

Inspiring images like this remind people why they work in social care and we want you to share more of those moments with us this year, by entering our 2016 competition.

The competition, which is sponsored by recruitment agency Caritas, recognises the hard work of professionals working across the sector and the achievements of the people they support.

So, if you’ve snapped a picture at an inspiring event or seen a service user create some great art, then why not submit it here? The 12 winning images will be included in a charity calendar, which is sent out to thousands of professionals in the social care sector.

Here’s everything else you need to know…

How to enter

It’s free to enter the competition. All you need to do is complete our short entry form and email us your pictures communitycare@rbi.co.uk. Please also include a sentence or two on why you decided to submit the image. The deadline for entries is 22 April 2016.

What are we looking for?

Put simply – we’re looking for images that inspire those working in social care. These can be as arty and abstract as you like, just make sure to add a comment on what the picture is about and why you decided to enter it.

Pictures can be of social workers and social care professionals, images that symbolise social work – dogs, cups of tea, files, toys, anything you want. As long as you have permissions, you can also enter pictures of service users or art they have created.

We’ll also accept drawings, collages and other images. These can be produced by young people, other service users or professionals themselves. Basically, this is your chance to get creative and showcase your profession in a positive light.

Who can enter?

Anyone who works in social work or social care, or uses their services. You can work in any part of the sector and for any organisation – local authority, charity, private, independent, or any other type of social care body.

What about anonymity?

Community Care takes the anonymity of professionals and service users very seriously. Please make sure that if you are identifying in a picture that you have their permission to do so. If the person is under 18, or a vulnerable adult, then a parent, carer, guardian, or responsible professional must also give permission.

If anonymity is an issue, then be creative and see if there is a way to convey your message without identifying the person. Community Care is happy to offer advice on how best to do this, as it is a challenge we often have to overcome ourselves when taking or using pictures.

How will the photos be used?

Photos will be uploaded onto Community Care. The shortlisted entries will be exhibited at Community Care Live in a photographic exhibition on 10 and 11 May 2016.

The 12 winning entries will be used in a 2017 calendar, which will be distributed to social care professionals. The person who submits the overall best photo will get to nominate a social care charity of their choice to receive a £500 donation. The logo of their chosen charity will also appear alongside their winning image in the calendar.

Who are the judges?

Community Care is selecting judges from within social work and social care. Everyone is handpicked by us and chosen for their commitment to the sector. The judges will pick the 12 winning images that they judge to be the most inspiring. This year, we are also asking our readers and Community Care Live delegates to vote for their favourite photograph. The ‘people’s choice’ will be taken into consideration by our judging panel.

Copyright

By entering this photo competition, you are granting Community Care all rights to the picture or images. We will only use the pictures in the way described above.

Read the full list of terms and conditions.