Finalists announced for Social Worker of the Year Awards 2016

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in November

2015 Social Worker of the Year Helen Pye (centre) has made 'crucial' improvements to FCAMHS in South Yorkshire. Photo: Matt Grayson

The shortlist of the finalists for the Social Worker of the Year Awards 2016 has been announced.

There are 78 social workers and social work teams from across England nominated for the 2016 awards, covering children’s and adult services. The winner from each category will also be considered for the ‘Overall social worker of the year’ award.

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in London in November.

James Rook, managing director of Sanctuary Social Care, the headline sponsor of the awards, said: “All of the finalists for this year’s awards should be extremely proud – the competition is very strong and the standard of entries has been incredibly high.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming our finalists to the awards ceremony in November to celebrate their outstanding achievements in the profession.”

Professor Ray Jones, chair of the Social Work Awards charity which organises the awards, added: “Our aim is to celebrate the outstanding achievements of individual practitioners and teams up and down the country and to celebrate a wonderful profession which is often misunderstood.”

The full shortlist is as follows:

Principal Social Worker of the Year  (Sponsored by Devon County Council) Tom Stibbs, Brighton and Hove City Council
Clive Diaz, Gloucestershire County Council
Mandy Nightingale, Essex County Council
Mental Health Social Worker of the Year (Sponsored by Hampshire County Council) Kate Elsdon, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Joy Rickard, Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
Dee Belford, Birmingham City Council
Student Social Worker of the Year (Sponsored by Calderdale Council) Annabelle Stock, University of Birmingham
Odi Oquosa, University of Sussex
Nicola Ascott, Cafcass
Practice Educator of the Year (Sponsored by The Open University) Alison Barnes, Oxleas NHS
Daniel Hope, Cafcass
Louise Purser, Central Bedfordshire Council
Jayne Hulbert, The Sweet Project
Joanna Armstrong, Devon County Council
Ann Munroe, Luton Borough Council
Creative & Innovative Social Work Practice (Sponsored by Essex County Council in partnership with Servelec Corelogic) Diane Hunter, NSPCC
Peer to Peer Support Team, Adoption UK
Yasmin Ishaq, Kent County Council
Preparing for Adulthood Team, Birmingham City Council
Strengths-Based Practice Team, London Borough of Barnet
Multi Agency Screening Team, North Yorkshire County Council
Best Social Work Employer (Sponsored by Sanctuary Social Care) Achieving for Children
Leeds City Council
North Yorkshire County Council
Cafcass
Foster Care UK
Essex County Council, Family Operations
Team Leader of the Year, Children’s Services (Sponsored by Kent County Council) Michelle Evans, Cafcass
Karen Green, Worcestershire Children’s Services
Bianka Lang, Essex County Council
Jean Beynon, Devon County Council
Juanita Scallon, Devon County Council
Team Leader of the Year, Adult Services Shirley Semple, Essex County Council
Kirsty McLeod, Calderdale Council
Brian Stocks, Rochdale Council
Natalie McFall, Birmingham City Council
Lisa McCluskey, Northumberland Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Team of the Year, Children’s Services (Sponsored by Gloucestershire County Council) Horizon, Coventry City Council
Adoption Team, Peterborough City Council
Children in Need Team, Winsford and Northwich, Cheshire West and Chester Council
Fostering Recruitment and Assessment Team, Essex County Council
East/North East Looked After Children Team, Leeds City Council
Multi Agency Screening Team, North Yorkshire County Council
Kingston Leaving Care / UASC Team, Achieving for Children
Team of the Year, Adult Services (Sponsored by Unison) Warwickshire Employment Support Team, Warwickshire County Council
Derbyshire Deaf Team, Derbyshire County Council
Barnstaple Community Health and Social Care Team, Devon County Council
OP Tending Team 1, Essex County Council
Daytime AMPH Team, Devon County Council
Newly Qualified Children’s Social Worker of the Year (Sponsored by BASW) Connie Hazell, Essex County Council
Joanne Sailsman, Wolverhampton City Council
Sarah Kelley, Stockport City Council
Jakki Cahill, Brighton and Hove City Council
Benn Vaughan, Cumbria County Council
Francesca Rye, Norfolk County Council
Nicholas Jeffreys, Coventry City Council
Newly Qualified Adult Social Worker of the Year Ann-Maria Mitchell, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
Liz Dickson, Islington Council
Jamie McEwan, Birmingham City Council
Mark Pilkington, Devon County Council
Jennifer Charlton, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Children’s Social Worker of the Year (Sponsored by Barnardo’s) Maureen Skidmore, Cafcass
Jason Barnes, West Sussex County Council
Aimee Weston, Essex County Council
Danielle Martin, Essex County Council
Jonny Hoyle, North Yorkshire County Council
Emily Tiplady-Ead, Suffolk County Council
Rebecca Habberley, Warwickshire County Council
Jenny Harris, Devon County Council
Adult Social Worker of the Year George Mark-Bell, Rochdale Council
Maria Kneller, Devon County Council
Heather Kent, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Nila Murday, Hampshire County Council
Joanne Finnegan, Birmingham City Council
Keron Ford, Birmingham City Council
Lifetime Achievement Award (Sponsored by BASW) Louise Purser, Central Bedfordshire Council
Julie Hughes, London Borough of Barnet
Suzy Croft, St John’s Hospice

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9 Responses to Finalists announced for Social Worker of the Year Awards 2016

  1. Hels October 4, 2016 at 12:05 am #

    I have the pleasure of working with Maureen S, nominated for children’s social worker of the year, well done and all the best for the finals! X

    • Lynn Howard October 4, 2016 at 1:55 pm #

      You truly deserve this Maureen. You have changed so many children’s lives for the better. This is a testament to your hard work!!!

  2. ellie October 5, 2016 at 2:13 pm #

    Jenny Harris does not need a social worker of the year award, she needs a social worker of the decade award! She is an awesome woman and social worker. I am proud to be a team mate. well done Jen! x

  3. Cygnet Law October 6, 2016 at 7:57 am #

    Congratulations and best wishes from everyone at cygnet. We are all delighted that your many years of dedication, child focussed work and outstanding skills have been recognised at the highest level.

  4. David M October 6, 2016 at 11:43 am #

    Emily Tiplady-Ead is an incredible social worker and well deserving of children’s social worker of the year award. #teamEmily

  5. Beth Wass October 6, 2016 at 6:35 pm #

    Maureen, being nominated for social worker of the year doesn’t really capture all that you have done for children over the years. A lifetime achievement award would be more fitting. Many many congratulations from BS at Middlesbrough.

  6. Lisa Fraser-Pickard October 7, 2016 at 11:16 am #

    I will have the pleasure of conducting my ASYE with manager Jean Beynon and her team at Devon County Council. How fortuitous is that? #teamjean#learnfromthebest

  7. Cygnet Law October 10, 2016 at 11:33 am #

    Congratulations and best wishes Maureen Skidmore from everyone at cygnet. We are all delighted that your many years of dedication, child focussed work and outstanding skills have been recognised at the highest level. Our previous response did not name Maureen and therefore we felt we needed to rectify the same.

  8. Family finder October 21, 2016 at 6:36 pm #

    Well done to all the finalists. It would be great if people would say what you have done to be nominated