Social Worker of the Year Awards 2016 open for entries

Individual social workers and social work teams from across England are being encouraged to enter the 2016 Social Worker of the Year Awards which have just opened for entries.

There are fifteen categories in which practitioners can nominate a colleague or team member across the specialisms of both children’s and adult services.

Awards include Social Worker of the Year, Team of the Year, Team Leader of the Year and Newly Qualified Social Worker of the Year. There are also categories to recognise principal social workers, social work students, practice educators and practitioners working in the field of mental health. The winners of two additional awards – Outstanding Contribution to Social Work and Overall Social Worker of the Year – will be chosen by the Board of Trustees of the Social Work Awards Ltd., the charity behind the annual celebration.

Professor Ray Jones, Chair of the Charity, said: “We are very excited to be launching this year’s Social Worker of the Year Awards. Last year was our most successful year to date, with more entries, more organisations supporting the event and more people attending the awards ceremony than ever before. The awards are continuing to grow in size and stature and are an ideal opportunity for the most dedicated social workers in England to get the recognition they deserve.”

James Rook, Managing Director of the awards’ headline sponsors, Sanctuary Social Care, added: “We are delighted to be supporting the Social Work Awards again in 2016. So often the dedication of social workers goes unrecognised but we want to help change that with these awards, so if you have an inspiring colleague – be it team member or manager – who deserves to be praised for their hard work, make sure you nominate them this year.”

Earlier this month the achievements of winners from the 2015 Social Worker of the Year Awards were officially recognised by government Ministers at an exclusive Parliamentary Reception which took place in the House of Commons. The practitioners were congratulated by the Minister of State for Community and Social Care, Alistair Burt MP; Robin Walker MP, the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Education, Nicky Morgan; and the two Chief Social Workers, Lyn Romeo and Isabelle Trowler.

As well as launching this year’s awards, organisers have also announced which organisations have signed up to support the event this year. Sanctuary Social Care is returning as the event’s headline sponsors, while the British Association of Social Workers is once again the awards’ Corporate Partner.

Meanwhile Barnardo’s, Local Government Association, Kent County Council, Devon County Council, Hampshire County Council and ECL: The Care & Wellbeing Company are all among the individual category supporters.

The Awards will take place on Friday 25th November in London with entries accepted until 5.00pm on Friday 22nd July.

Visit www.socialworkawards.com for more information and to download an entry form.