Social Worker of the Year awards on the lookout for 'outstanding workers' across Northamptonshire

The awards ceremony will be held virtually in November.

A charity which organises the Social Worker of the Year Awards is on the lookout for outstanding social workers in Northamptonshire who have gone the extra mile to make a difference to the lives of individuals in their community.

The Social Worker of the Year Awards 2021 is now open for entries and members of the public are being encouraged to nominate social workers who they feel deserve to be recognised for their hard work and support.

Taking place virtually at the end of November, the theme of this year’s Social Worker of the Year Awards event is ‘Reconnection and Recognition’.

It will highlight social workers’ outstanding work during the last 12 months and as they support individuals and communities to reconnect and to move forward from their experiences during the pandemic.

Peter Hay CBE, chair of the Social Work Awards, said: “The aim of our event last year was to say thank you to social workers who selflessly continued to support families and the most vulnerable people in our communities during a period of great difficulty for everybody.

“This year, as we navigate through the turbulence caused by the pandemic, it’s so important for us to take the time to reconnect with each other.

“As a charity we also feel the time is right to bring back the awards to recognise outstanding social work practice during the pandemic.

“We hope the Social Worker of the Year Awards 2021, which also falls on our 10th anniversary, inspires social workers across England to connect together, reflect on the last year and look forward to the future.”

There will be 12 award categories to enter, including two new additions: Social Justice Advocate Award and University of the Year.

In March 2022, an exclusive parliamentary reception event at the House of Commons will also return, with sponsors and award winners from 2019 and 2021 invited to attend.

Nominations are now open and will close on July 23 2021.

Visit the Social Worker Awards website to nominate.