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 |
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole 
Hampshire County Council 
Lincolnshire County Council 
Norfolk County Council 
Northamptonshire Children’s Trust 
South Gloucestershire Council 
Wiltshire Council 
Wokingham Borough Council 
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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
You truly deserve this Maureen. You have changed so many children’s lives for the better. This is a testament to your hard work!!!
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
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.
Emily Tiplady-Ead is an incredible social worker and well deserving of children’s social worker of the year award. #teamEmily
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.
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
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.
Well done to all the finalists. It would be great if people would say what you have done to be nominated