Delight as social work staff make the grade

THE work of South Lanarkshire social work employees was honoured in a recent awards ceremony. Council headquarters in Hamilton was the venue for the 12th annual Social Work Awards hosted by TV presenter and columnist Kaye Adams.

A record number of 260 employees achieved qualifications ranging from SVQs to First-class Honours degrees during the past 12 months.

Their success means that 96 per cent of the council’s social work team now hold a qualification at SVQ level or above.

Harry Stevenson, executive director of social work resources, said: “It is fantastic to see our team being celebrated in this way as they are dedicated individuals who ensure that we provide the very best service driven by their desire to care.”

Chairman of social work resources, Councillor Jim Handibode, was also impressed. He added: “The awards ceremonies show just how valued the workforce of social work resources is, as without such hard work and dedication, we would not be able to provide the level of service that we currently do.

“Most of these employees have to study and complete course work in their own time which can mean sacrifices not only for them but for their families too.”

He added: “However, the end result almost certainly makes it all worthwhile as the result is a highly-skilled workforce.”