Winners of Scotland’s Care Accolades announced
By News Scotland

Scotland’s top carers and social service projects have been recognised at Care Accolades 2011, the celebrated award ceremony showcasing the very best of the care sector across the country.

Nearly 200 people gathered for the ceremony in Paisley, hosted by Radio Scotland’s Kaye Adams and organised by the Scottish Social Services Council.  The annual awards recognise the extraordinary people and diverse social service projects in Scotland.  Today’s finalists and guests heard stories of ground breaking partnership working and the heart-warming efforts made by social service workers and their organisations.

Angela Constance, Minister for Children and Young People said: “In social services a fundamental resource in this complex and difficult area is the workforce.  Every day thousands of families are supported and thousands of lives improved by the work they do.  The Care Accolades gives us the opportunity to highlight and celebrate the excellent and innovative work they do day in day out on our behalf.  Today’s winners and finalists – as well as all those who applied – rightly deserve the highest praise.”

Garry Coutts, Chair of the Care Accolades 2011 judging panel said: “Today we have seen a glimpse of the future which allows us to recognise the achievements of the country’s top carers and social services projects.  Our social care staff have shown they have the confidence, creativity and skills to provide us with the services we need for the times we now live in.  Social services staff are the key to ensuring our most vulnerable citizens have the best possible quality of life.  Today we celebrate their success and our winners set the bar for others to develop their skills and services further.

“Excellent social services are vital if Scotland is to come through the current economic downturn without the most disadvantaged members of our community suffering the most.”

Kaye Adams said: “Each year I am amazed by the high quality of care that Scotland has to offer.  I have has the honor of hosting the Care Accolades for several years new and I have seen firsthand the positive impact social service workers make to the lives of the people in Scotland every day.  Being shortlisted or winning an Accolade is a great achievement for a team or individual who carry out some of the most difficult and challenging jobs in our community.”

The Care Accolades 2011 winners are:

INVESTING IN THE WORKFORCE, DEVELOPING PRACTICE

  •     Winner – Childhood Practice, Raising The Bar! by Stirling Council
  •     Special commendation – Residential Child Care Services by Dundee City Council, Social Work Department
  •     Finalist – Management Qualification In Positive Behaviours by The Richmond Fellowship Scotland

WORKING BETTER, WORKING TOGETHER

  •     Winner – Families Affected by Imprisonment by Circle with partners HMP Addiewell, HMP Corton Vale and HMP Greenock
  •     Special commendation – Family Group Conference Services by CHILDREN 1ST with Dumfries and Galloway Council
  •     Special commendation – A Partnership Approach To Supporting Unpaid Carers by Glasgow City Council with partners Glasgow Carers Support Project, North West Carers Project, NHS Glasgow and Clyde, Carers Information Strategy Workers Team, Keep Well Carer Community Nurses, North and West Glasgow Community Health and Core Partnership, Princess Royal Trust for Carers, Alzheimer’s Scotland and Glasgow Association for Mental Health

INVOLVING OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES

  •     Winner – Local Area Co-Ordination Team by East Ayrshire Council
  •     Finalist – Same As You? Listen And I Will Tell You Just How Much…by the South Lanarkshire Council

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

  •     Winner – Multisystemic Therapy Team by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
  •     Special commendation – Family Support and Intervention Services by Kibble Education and Care Centre
  •     Finalists – Intensive Support and Monitoring Services, Alternative to Remand by Glasgow City Council

ADULTS AND OLDER PEOPLE

  •     Winner – Persistent Offender Project by Glasgow City Council, Addiction Service
  •     Special commendation – Transformation of Older People’s Service by Midlothian Council
  •     Finalist – Delivering on Dementia in Argyll and Bute by Argyll and Bute Council with Alzheimer Scotland and NHS Highland

INNOVATION AWARDS

  •     Winner – You First by Barnardo’s Scotland
  •     Finalist – 21st Century Telewear, Intergenerational and co-productive design of Telecare product by The Moray Council
  •     Finalist – Dates ‘n’ mates by C-Change for Inclusion

CHAIR’S AWARD

  • Transformation of Older People’s Service by Midlothian Council

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO CARE AWARD

  • Rae Webster – The Richmond Fellowship Scotland