Social Worker of the Year Awards 2018 finalists announced

The shortlist of finalists for the Social Worker of the Year Awards 2018 has been announced.

Across England, 93 social workers and teams have been selected as finalists in 16 categories covering adults’ and children’s services (see below for full list).

The winner from each category will also be in contention to be named the ‘overall social worker of the year 2018’.

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

‘Continuing to thrive’

James Rook, managing director of Sanctuary Social Care, the headline sponsor of the awards, said: “The awards are continuing to grow and thrive and we’re delighted that this year we’ve received our highest number of entries.

“The standard of entries and level of competition is very strong, so all shortlisted nominees should be extremely proud. We look forward to welcoming our finalists and their guests to the awards ceremony in November.”

Peter Hay CBE, chair of the Social Work Awards charity which organises the awards, said: “Our aim is to celebrate the outstanding achievements of social workers and social work teams and we’ve been truly humbled by the huge praise coming from people who have benefitted from great social work.”

Hay added that he was “delighted” that more people who have been supported by social workers were being represented on this year’s judging panel this year. These include young people from the Cafcass Young People Family Justice Board and Barnardo’s, and representatives from the Think Local Act Personal (TLAP) partnership.

The full finalists’ shortlist is as follows:

Mental Health Social Worker of the Year (supported by Devon County Council)

• Chrystell Silas, East Sussex County Council
• Jessie Griggs-Smith, Norfolk County Council
• Lara Box, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
• Penny Jackson, Darlington Borough Council
• Zoe Williamson, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust / Northumberland County Council

Making a Difference (supported by Tees Valley Local Authority Child and Adult Services)

• Eileen Qubain, Heart of Worcestershire College
• Izabela Spalding, East London NHS Foundation Trust
• Wendy Ashton, Eden Valley Hospice

Student Social Worker of the Year (supported by Bradford Council)

• Sian Miljkovic, University of Bedfordshire
• Sivanesan Ramamoorthy, The Open University
• Victoria Stephenson, Manchester Metropolitan University
• Mark McConnell, The University of Huddersfield

Practice Educator of the Year (supported by North Lincolnshire Council)

• Emma Goodall, Cornwall Council
• Joseph Robb, Darlington Borough Council
• Karen Maude, Bradford College
• Lorraine Falconer, Croydon Council

Creative & Innovative Social Work Practice (sponsored by Hampshire County Council)

• Divisional Based Intervention Team, Essex County Council
• Leaving Care Team, North Yorkshire County Council
• Love Barrow Families
• People From Abroad Team, Norfolk County Council
• Rob Manchester, Devon County Council
• Super Power Group, Leeds City Council

Best Social Work Employer (Supported by Sanctuary Social Care)

• Achieving for Children
• Cafcass
• Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
• Essex County Council
• London Borough of Lambeth
• Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
• Stockport Family

Team Leader of the Year, Children’s Services (supported by Kent County Council)

• Belinda Collingwood, Essex County Council
• Jenny Slee. North Somerset Council
• Justine Hughes, Oldham Council
• Linzi Nicholson, Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
• Shaira Makorie, Achieving for Children
• Victoria McLeod, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council

Team Leader of the Year, Adult Services (supported by Sunderland City Council)

• Cheri Pearson, Livewell South West
• Jane Haywood, Derby City Council
• Kelly-Ann Page, Gloucestershire County Council
• Nicholas Edwards, Trafford Council
• Tracey Bage, South Tyneside Council

Team of the Year, Children’s Services (Supported by the London Borough of Lambeth)

• Barnsley Fostering Assessment Team, Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council
• Case Management Team, North Lincolnshire Council
• Fair Ways Fostering
• Hillingdon Young People’s Service, London Borough of Hillingdon
• Integrated Multi Agency Partnership, North Lincolnshire Council
• North Lincolnshire Adoption Team
• Referral and Assessment Team, Achieving for Children
• South Essex Family Centre, Essex County Council

Team of the Year, Adult Services (supported by UNISON)

• Bath and North East Somerset AMHP Team
• Integrated Community Services Team, Shropshire Council
• LiveWell Dementia Hub, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
• Organisational Safeguarding Team, Essex County Council
• Richmond and Wandsworth DOLS Team
• Complex Review and Transitions, Livewell South West

Newly Qualified Children’s Social Worker of the Year (supported by Children’s Social Work Matters)

• Alice Bent, Oxfordshire County Council
• Daniel Newman, Essex County Council
• Heidi Turtle, Kent County Council
• Jessie Turner, Hull City Council
• Jessica Raper, East Riding of Yorkshire Council
• Simone Oliver, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council
• Tiffany Ridd, Norfolk County Council

Newly Qualified Adult Social Worker of the Year (supported by BASW)

• Alexandra Edge, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust / Northumberland County Council
• Caroline McCormack, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
• Claudia Lancashire, Derby City Council
• Donna-Marie Wilson, Devon County Council
• Kerri Davies, Kent County Council
• Nikki Stenning, Devon County Council
• Rabbi Deloso, Essex County Council
• Rebecca Payne, Gloucestershire County Council

Children’s Social Worker of the Year (supported by Barnardo’s)

• Chris Dyas, NSPCC
• Kirsteen Lowrie, Southwark Council
• Liz Davis, Norfolk County Council
• Lucy Jackson, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council
• Owen Chizimba, Essex County Council
• Rebecca Healy, Birmingham Children’s Trust
• Slavica Todbzic, Central Bedfordshire Council
• Theresa Forrester, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council

Adult Social Worker of the Year (supported by Servelec HSC)

• Dan Morton, London Borough of Hillingdon
• Jennifer Staude, Westminster City Council
• Jess Nesbitt, Gloucestershire County Council
• Jo Doughty, Gloucestershire County Council
• Louise Redsull, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
• Lucy Hunt, Devon County Council
• Steve Foster, Hampshire County Council

Championing Social Work Values (Supported by Essex County Council in partnership with Capita)

• Jenny Slee, North Somerset Council
• Karen Pain, Bristol City Council
• Sybille Radszun, Southwark Council

Lifetime Achievement Award (supported by BASW)

• Gail Faulkner, Leeds City Council
• Janet Reed, Ministry of Defence
• Jenny Slee, North Somerset Council
• Peter Smith, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
• Tony Wright, Forward Assist