A social work team from Winsford and Northwich has been selected as a finalist in the Social Worker of the Year Awards 2016 as a result of their outstanding work with children and their families.

Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Children in Need Team has been nominated for the Team of the Year, Children’s Services prize and will find out if they have won at an awards ceremony which will take place in London in November.

The team is one of 78 finalists across 15 categories and the winners from each category will compete against each other to be named the Overall Social Worker of the Year 2016.

The prestigious awards ceremony is the leading celebration of its kind in the social care sector and recognises the achievements and successes of the profession’s most innovative and dedicated social workers.

Cllr Nicole Meardon of Sutton ward in Ellesmere Port
Cllr Nicole Meardon

Cllr Nicole Meardon, Cabinet member for children and young people, said: “This award recognises best practice in children’s social care and teams which consistently make a positive difference to the lives of the children and families they support - to reach the finals is an outstanding achievement and something to be very proud of.

“While we already have an incredibly tight-knit group of social workers providing quality care to some of our most vulnerable children across the borough, we need even more professionals across Chester, Winsford and Ellesmere Port to ensure all of our families, children and young people are supported which is why we are currently taking a very proactive approach to recruit and build on one of the most successful Ofsted inspections in the country.”

The awards were judged by leading influencers including the chief social workers Isabelle Trowler and Lyn Romeo and Maris Stratulis (England manager, British Association of Social Workers).

The Social Worker of the Year Awards are supported by headline sponsor Sanctuary Social Care; corporate partner the British Association of Social Workers, and individual category supporters, Devon County Council, Hampshire County Council, Calderdale Council, The Open University, Essex County Council in partnership with Servelec Corelogic, Kent County Council, Gloucestershire County Council, UNISON, Barnardo’s and the Local Government Association.

For more information about the Social Worker of the Year Awards visit www.socialworkawards.com

For more information about a social care career with Cheshire West and Chester Council visit www.cwcrecruitment.co.uk/socialwork