Profiles
3 April
Students
- Carol Deegan
- Charelle Hughes
- Charlotte Plant
- Christine Walsh
- Gemma Tazzini-Lloyd
- Samea Mahboob
- Scott Richardson
- Sian Leedham
- Sylwia Poletek
4 April
Team managers
5 April
Social workers
Students
Practice educators
Other roles
Teams
Carol Deegan
Carol is a student at Student and was nominated by Sharon Daly
Carol has pursued her vision of a different approach to day services for elderly, and through this has successfully changed the provision for people with high level needs. One such person was facing exclusion from attending as needs were too high to be met with day care approach, and thus impacting on the respite needs of carer (spouse) with potential care home accommodation being sought. Carol sought to continue to promote as much independence for them as possible through better use of SDS. Her knowledge base, research, and determination on implementation of SDS from a value-based and rights-based approach, including understanding of the principles behind SDS has led to an exemplary piece of work whereby change has been realised at system level, cultural level and personal level.
This has meant negotiations with local authority social work and managers for changes to use of and implementation of SDS. This proposal was met with resistance at first. Carol recognised this was caused by a lack of awareness and training, alongside a culture of attitudes that leaned towards ‘it’s not done that way before so we can’t change it now’. She challenged that by raising awareness of the value base, cost effectiveness, and best interests of the person to support her proposal, raising ethical concerns and promoting self-determination, social inclusion and rights.
The day centre is now looking to employ one-to-one support staff, thus creating jobs for local people, the cost to local authority has reduced, and local third sector agencies are involved in the referral process, when before it was only social work referrals. The local advocacy group is now also assessing use of the sensory room for children and young people with disabilities, whereby previously it was only open to day centre attendees, mainly those with dementia. Carol is working with the team, local authority and others to look at how this change could work in many ways to reduce bed blocking in hospitals where patients cannot return home because carers can’t cope full time. To discharge patients home, enable one to one support in day centre, 5 days per week, would allow respite for carers with potential patient being able to go home. Carol is currently researching this side of things and speaking with social work and hospital discharge teams.
Charelle Hughes
Charelle is a student at Salford Care Organisation and was nominated by Martin Sexton
Charelle started her career within Adult Social Care in 2022, working on a very busy Neighbourhood team as a community assessment officer. Since joining the team, Charelle has worked tirelessly to develop her skills, knowledge and experience.
Charelle has proved to be an extremely professional and capable community assessment officer. She has found settling into her role a smooth transition. This is due to Charelle being extremely keen, committed and willing to learn and develop. Charelle has ensured that she follows all policy, process and procedures and is committed to seeking out her own development and training needs. She has attended many training courses, which she has then implemented into her practice.
Cherelle’s work involves working closely with the district nurses, occupational therapist, community psychiatric nurses, general practitioners, voluntary and private agencies and she has started to build up excellent positive working relationships with other professionals.
Charelle is highly thought of by her colleagues and her direct line manager. This is due to her strong value base, positive approach, willingness and commitment to getting things done to improve the lives of some of the most vulnerable people we work with.
Charelle is quietly confident and has belief in herself and her abilities, skills and values which shine through. Colleagues have witnessed Charelle develop into a confident and mature community assessment officer. She is a valued member of her team, is enthusiastic and has a positive approach in everything she does.
Charelle has recently been successful in securing a social work apprenticeship and has recently commenced at university. This evidences the dedication and commitment she has shown and how she has developed her career in a short time frame from starting as a community assessment officer, to now being a social work apprentice. We have every confidence that Charelle will complete the social work degree course with flying colours.
Charlotte Plant
Charlotte is a student at Hull City Council and was nominated by Claire Rutherford
Charlotte Plant is a Social Work Apprentice in the Refugee and Asylum Seeker Team (RAST). Charlotte has thoroughly enjoyed supporting young people and care leavers during her placement and her practice has resulted in many young people sharing positive stories about the impact of her support and guidance.
Charlotte often asks for feedback from the young people, to ensure that they are empowered to co-produce their plans. She considers the importance of her role as a Corporate Parent for young people who are living in the UK and have experienced loss and trauma. At times it is the small acts of kindness that have resulted in her building strength-based relationships with the young people, and they have grown in confidence and trust that Charlotte is there to help them.
We know that Charlotte has had an impact because she has received feedback and letters from those young people to share their appreciation. The letters include some beautiful words, an example of which is here:
“Many things come to mind about you and the support you have given but do you remember when the dentist was filling my teeth and I was nervous. You held my hand that day and I cried inside. There is nothing I can name to describe how that moment is, other than it was like having a lovely sister. You are naturally kind, understanding and protective”
Charlotte I am nominating you for an award because for young people and care leavers to describe you in this way sits perfectly with the core values of social work practice and we are immensely proud to have you as an apprentice student in Hull City Council.
Christine Walsh
Christine is a student at Hull City Council and was nominated by Claire Rutherford
I am nominating Christine Walsh who is undertaking her apprenticeship in social work. Christine is a student who is working with children with disabilities and has absolutely embraced and empowered children and young people who have additional needs to have their voices heard by creating a bespoke tool kit for children to share their wishes and feelings. The tool kit has been named ‘My World’.
Christine has always embraced the importance of her continuous professional development and as a student she spoke to her practice educator and asked if she could help her identify a practical tool for supporting critical reflection and analysis. The Practice Educator pointed her in the direction of Siobhan McClean’s YouTube Channel to consider the Lotus tool developed by a student. This has inspired Christine to then develop a tool for children with disabilities and communication needs, by using the widget symbols, which support communication and ensure that children have a voice and can access the world around them. Christine has then made a video of her tool box, which is now being shared with all the workforce to increase participation and the voice of children and young people.
The codes of ethics state that social workers should recognise and respect the diversity of the communities in which they practise, taking into account individual, family, group and community differences and I feel that this is something Christine has done with this piece of intervention. It has resulted in children she is supporting telling us that they have enjoyed spending time with Christine and playing with the tool to share how they feel. It is an adaptive tool and can be changed in-line with children’s interests, likes and dislikes, which makes it much more fun and appealing to play.
Christine has a very strong belief in social justice, and this has clearly inspired her to work with children with disabilities.
Gemma Tazzini-Lloyd
Gemma is a student at University of York and was nominated by Cleo Magaya
I acted as Gemma’s Practice Educator whilst she was on her 1st placement. I found Gemma to be very organised, committed and with an eagerness to ensure that she delivers her role and beyond. The feedback from both professionals and those accessing her host agency were that Gemma is capable. She went over and beyond in her role, meaning she formed trusting relationships with people.
Gemma is very articulate and self aware. She willing to take on feedback and will actively seek advice and support. I believe that Gemma will be a fantastic Social Worker and this nomination will hopefully go a long way in reaffirming this to her.
Samea Mahboob
Samea is a student at University of Bradford and was nominated by Dr Eamonn Griffin
Samea Mahboob is a Year 2 social work student at the University of Bradford. I'm nominating her because of her enthusiasm and diligence with respect to her social work studies, and for her commitment to her local communities in supporting positive awareness of the value that effective social work practice can offer.
Samea migrated to the UK when she was eighteen. She studies English as an additional language, her first language being Punjabi. Samea has worked incredibly hard and manages her time extremely well. I work with Samea as a specialist study skills support worker, and so have seen first-hand the diligence and the care that she takes with her studies, and in her wider approach to social work as an academic discipline, as a profession, and as a vital support to those accessing services.
Samea’s commitment to social work is evidenced not least through her hosting a weekly two-hour Sunday show on community radio station Radio Sangam (the word means cohesion, bringing together, unity) based in Kirklees in West Yorkshire. Payar Ka Weekend (meaning a weekend full of love, care and compassion) is the name of the programme. The show focuses on questions of stigma and taboo of relevance especially to South Asian communities and faith groups - mental health, community cohesion, domestic abuse, oppression and discrimination, LGBTQ+ matters in community contexts as examples - from a social work perspective.
Samea has weekly guests from service providers, the local authority, and from academia. In addition, her show offers opportunities for authentic community voices to be heard discussing their experiences related to community need, socio-economic deprivation as related to ethnicity and locality, social work support, and on the specifics of that week’s topic. Fluent in English, Urdu, and Punjabi, Samea offers an interactive and multi-lingual programme accessible to listeners from a range of cultural backgrounds, and in doing so helps to contextualise and demystify social work practice and what it can offer the communities it serves.
Scott Richardson
Scott is a student at BCP Council and was nominated by Danielle Hetherington-Parker
In his two years on the apprenticeship, Scott has shown resilience in the face of challenges and been determined to use his experiences as a force for good- to be the change. He is not afraid to confront inequality and exclusion- qualities that are essential to the identity of social work practice and are desperately needed in increasingly hostile environments- and is tenacious in his approach.
In a short space of time, Scott has meaningfully demonstrated our Professional Standards 1.5 and 1.6 on a frequent basis and makes space and connections for others to do the same.
His achievements include:
* Attending Parliament to discuss neurodiversity in employment and education with Matt Hancock MP
* Attending Parliament to discuss the barriers and concerns of neurodiverse social workers and students with the chair of the Social Work APPG
* Attending NCAS conference as delegate for BASW
* Chair of the BCP Council Disability Staff Network, where the group is actively challenging and advocating; including in relation to reasonable adjustments policy, physical and digital accessibility. His achievements in this role are:
- creation of more inclusive reasonable adjustment guidance
- work place passports
- corporate accessibility audit
- reverse of home working policy for disabled employees
- roll-out of neurodiversity training for managers to help foster better understanding of neurodiversity
* Committee member of BASW neurodivergent social worker special interest group promoting awareness of neurodiverse social workers through the creation and promotion of a national campaign.
* Member of BASW EDIAG: being a critical friend to BASW.
* BASW EDI Branch Officer
* Challenged lack of neuro-inclusivity within OU apprenticeship resulting in OU looking to improve their neuro-inclusivity through co-production and interest in signing up for BAS campaign.
I nominate Scott because it isn't easy putting one’s head above the parapet, particularly as an apprentice - where the power lies elsewhere, and, in order to face the challenges of the coming decades, we need to place the willingness and skills to undertake such work (back) at the forefront of our profession.
I also nominate Scott because he deserves it, and because I want to add a different narrative to the often shared perception of neurodiverse people of being 'too much or difficult or too different'. Scott isn't looking to be the average - and the profession (and his employer) will be all the better for that.
Sian Leedham
Sian is a student at Wolverhampton City Council and was nominated by Claire Beckerleg
Sian has instantly impressed me as she started her final placement in my team. A compassionate, considered person with lots of initiative she has instantly embedded herself as a team member. Always willing to learn and take on opportunities but honest in her limitations and when she will need help, support and guidance.
I have been particularly impressed with her direct work with children, the creativity she brings and ability to ask questions of children of an age and ability appropriate way. The tools she brings to the table are vast and ability to think on the spot is seamless.
Sian comes with ideas and is not afraid to share them with reasonable rationale and clear thinking. The children she works with like her, which is always an amazing start. Sian will be a wonderful, skilful Social Worker and I wish her every success in her upcoming career.
Sylwia Poletek
Sylwia is a student at Winchester University and was nominated by Kate Cuthbertson
Sylwia is one of the most reflective students I have had the pleasure of working with. She had a deep understanding and IQ around impact of self and how experiences influence our view of the world. She is a significant advocate for children and families and will go a long way within social work.
Chris Perham
Chris is a team manager at BCP Council and was nominated by charlotte Nevin
I have had the privilege of working in Adult Social Care for 11 years and worked alongside lots of amazing social workers. However Chris has always gone above and beyond supporting and advocating for individuals using services and his team as team leader in the hospital social work team.
Chris' kindness and ongoing commitment to social work values is always evident and I was lucky to have him as my practice supervisor during my first placement on the social work degree apprenticeship. Despite being in a busy and challenging role, Chris has a natural talent of approaching tasks and situations with calmness and empathy. I wish I could bottle his natural talent and whilst I haven't mastered his skills as a practitioner, I did take away from placement the need to stay true to my social work values regardless of the chaos unfolding around me. Even after my placement ended and as I am approaching the end of my training, I still seek him out for advice, help and informal supervision and he has continued to support me to help improve the outcomes for the people I am lucky enough to work with.
Nokwanda Mdlovu
Nokwanda is a team manager at Salford Care Organisation and was nominated by Martin Sexton
Nokwanda has recently been promoted to team manager in the Hospital Social Work Team. Prior to this she was an advanced practitioner on one of the neighbourhood teams. Her manager and colleagues said that without her the team would not function.
Nokwanda is an exceptional social worker who supports team members at every opportunity. Nokwanda has supported all of the new starters and agency workers in her team to get up and running on the various IT systems. She has patiently sat with them and supported them to understand systems, policies, procedures etc.
Nokwanda supports all team members on joint visits, with complex case work and safeguarding enquiries. She chairs meetings, attends high risk panel meetings with staff all whilst being duty manager and dealing with her own case load.
Whilst an AP Nokwanda was her team’s ‘go to’ person who is always prepared to support in any way she can, she is such a valued member of the team by all the team.
As a new team manager Nokwanda has hit the ground running and continues to support her colleagues with care and professionalism. She is supporting the Principal Social Worker to celebrate diversity and promote equality and inclusion within adult social care.
Yvonne Samuels
Yvonne is a team manager at London Borough of Bromley and was nominated by Preena Patel
Yvonne is the most amazing, hard working, supportive, kindest, and nurturing Team Manager that I have ever worked with. Yvonne inspires me to be a more confident and resilient Social Worker daily and she has taken the time to develop me throughout the 2 years I have worked with her. Every Social Worker deserves a lovely Team Manager like Yvonne as she is as rare as can be! Thank you for being so great and making me not want to leave the profession!
Zoey Render
Zoey is a team manager at BCP Council and was nominated by Fran Jorge
Zoey moved from a level 3 social worker to a temporary team manager role less than 1 year ago. During this time, my team has improved so much and it's all down to her hard work, not just helping to improve the dynamics in the team (waiting lists, processes, etc.) but also being a helpful and supportive manager.
She is always available and willing to support anyone in the team and also willing to go out on visits to help you develop your skills. This might seem something that a manager role would imply, but unfortunately, not all managers do, for whatever reasons. I think it is important to praise those who haven't lost their human side and willingness to help others, which is what social work is about and not only the organisation's policies.
Naomi Coupland
Naomi is a social worker at Education Authority Northern Ireland and was nominated by Alain Samuel Douglas
Naomi is an excellent social worker within the Education Welfare Service in Northern Ireland. She works tirelessly to support school aged pupils to fulfil their potential and improve their attendance at school.
Naomi prides herself in completing high quality individual work with young people which allows her to get to know the young person better but also affect change and builds trust. This helps her to develop effective strategies to help young people to return to school and thrive. She is a determined advocate for the rights of children and young people in the education system and will challenge discrimination wherever she encounters it. Naomi not only supports young people that are referred to her, but she supports their families, providing an empathetic service where she helps parents to overcome challenges that are being experienced in the family home. Naomi challenges parents appropriately, from a position of care and compassion for the child and the family as a whole.
Naomi is passionate about supporting education staff in schools and will go above and beyond to raise capacity within the schools that she works. Helping teachers to provide the best "environment for learning" possible for some of the most vulnerable pupils in our society.
Naomi always aims to work collaboratively with other professionals from social services to mental health services and any other professionals that are involved with the child.
As her line manager, I regularly receive positive feedback about the service that Naomi provides from pupils, parents and teachers. Naomi has a positive spirit that is infectious, and she brings a sense of fun and kindness to all that encounter her. This is felt not only by the young people but also by her colleagues in her team.
Amy Milburn
Amy Milburn is a student at the University of Cumbria and was nominated by BASW
Amy Milburn recently gained an excellence in placement award from the University of Cumbria for her exceptional contributions during her placements. She was part of the patient and family support team at Cumbria Hospice where she also worked with children and adults for whom English is not their first language and helped host a family support day.
Amy’s achievement was recently recognised at the British Education Awards where she was a finalist in the degree category. Amy recently started work with the adult social care team at Westmorland and Furness Council as an ASYE social worker.
Alicia Cumming
Alicia is a practice educator at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust Section 75 team and was nominated by Vicki Warman
Alicia has been my practice educator whilst completing my social worker apprenticeship. She believes in me and is always supportive. She makes time for me even though her role is very busy. Her practice is very strength based and she treats people with kindness. She is a person of her word and follows through with her promises. I am learning a lot from her.
Dr Denise Turner
Denise is a social work educator at the University of Chichester and was nominated by Viola Kabigabwa
I am nominating Dr Denise Turner because she is a passionate professional social work educator at the University of Chichester. She is a great example of a social worker- hardworking and ensures all students, irrespective of their back grounds, achieve their goals as social workers.
She shared all her social work knowledge and research in many fields, especially digital practices, death, loss and transition. Denise always worked hard to ensure that we had the best lecturers, best guest speakers from different specialities to share their work and equip us ready for our placements and future social work practice.
Denise always has extra time for everyone, with timely positive solutions and an amazing, incredible cultural competence that most students adored. As a black, adult, neurodivergent student, I felt comfortable to approach her, and she always got back to us as a whole class too. I enjoyed my social work course and learnt important skills on how to actively listen, skills to create change and advocate for all the people I work with. Denise also showed us how to put self-care at the top of everything we did.
Jennifer McAteer
Jennifer is a service director at Buckinghamshire Council and was nominated by Sara Franchetti
Jennifer is an inspiration with her vision for great social work practice especially around quality assurance and ensuring residents have a voice. Jennifer has passion for the profession to ensure others succeed and have prospects to develop.
Jennifer’s ability to see the bigger picture makes you reflect and want to continue to improve and drive others to improve. Residents and staff are central to her role.
Jennifer's knowledge and experience is one that expands many years, and she continues to keep her practice relevant.
Safeguarding Families Together Team - Dorset Council Children's Services
Safeguarding Families Together Team - Dorset Council Children's Services is an amazing team at Dorset Council Children's Services and was nominated by Katie Rolph
Safeguarding Families Together (SFT) started as a pilot project aimed at improving outcomes for our most at-risk families and children. Dorset Council's commitment to whole-family working facilitated the initiative to focus on children affected by parental substance misuse, mental ill health, or domestic abuse for both perpetrators and victims. SFT employs multidisciplinary professionals, placing specialist adult workers alongside children's social workers to ensure holistic interventions to address high level of risk to prevent children requiring care and entering legal proceedings. The initiative is currently actively involved with 101 families and the SFT team do an incredible job to ensure these families get the right help at the right time.
Families in the Dorchester and West and Weymouth and Portland area of Dorset are benefitting from the Safeguarding Families Together approach. Specialist adult service workers in these areas are embedded alongside children’s social workers. Being co-located in locality social care teams mean practitioners work together as one team using ‘whole family working’ to wrap around the family, meeting its identified needs and reducing risks.
Families with more complex needs often find accessing services difficult and if they didn’t attend set meetings, services were often quickly withdrawn. Transport across some areas of Dorset can also be challenging and a barrier to attending office-based appointments. We changed this by creating teams that are committed to responding to how the family want to be worked with, travelling to where they are and recognising that persistence is key to building trusting relationships with families. The collaborative way of working enables lasting positive change and provides the right support to achieve the best outcomes for children in emotional wellbeing, health and education, making Dorset the best place to be a child as well as for their families.
Families are telling us that the service is making a difference to their lives “ ..it’s worked a lot better than it has before, and that’s through this programme” “I feel a totally different person” . We can see the evidence in the ending of a Child Protection plan, reduction in police attendance, hospital admissions and eventual case closure to children’s services.
The commitment of our SFT teams to collaborative working within teams and perseverance and flexibility in their family work means that families receive wrap-around support when they need it, ensuring that Dorset can continue to be the best place for children to grow up.
NSPCC Together for Childhood Grimsby Team
NSPCC Together for Childhood Grimsby Team is an amazing team at NSPCC and was nominated by Rebecca Miers
The amazing NSPCC Together for Childhood Grimsby social work team have been leading on a place-based approach to prevention and early help work in primary schools in the East and West Marsh wards of Grimsby which are among the highest areas of deprivation nationally. They use a public health approach as community social workers, addressing the broader needs including poverty, access to good quality housing and health care, education and social inequality. This is helping to build nurturing environments and identifying safe, available adults who help prevent harm to children.
Locally, there was a lack of coordinated support for schools to help young people build resilience, manage or overcome the impact of social difficulties, and emotional regulation. And widespread lack of parental engagement in children’s education, but a high level of need among families.
Within all six primary schools, the team have been building trusted relationships with the whole school community including staff, parents, children and families. Their insight about the place, the context schools are working in and the lived experience of the people they work with means they can support them in a truly meaningful way. Since April 2023 we have had 8,568 contacts with children.
The team work in schools as link-workers on a predictable weekly basis. But their work is always evolving, responding to the context, learning and understanding of need. By building capacity in the schools for prevention and early help they are supporting children and families to speak out, ask for help, feel listened to and receive practical help. They are helping children to be able to regulate and manage worries which means the children have clearer minds ready to take on learning in the classroom. By introducing parent coffee mornings and craft afternoons, more parents are coming into schools opening opportunities for the team to share safeguarding expertise, SEND knowledge and connect families with community assets to lessen the impacts deprivation.
There are wider outcomes of the team’s work around improved learning environments for children, improved health outcomes for families and longer-term impacts from positive experiences of help-seeking. The team deliver successful place-based prevention work with primary schools, in a high need context, at the non-statutory level. School staff have said:
“For us it’s that tailor made stuff that you do so, so well that helps engage communities and with the wider teams, and all of the information sharing together, and working together”.
North Herts Adult with Disabilities Team
North Herts Adult with Disabilities Team is an amazing team at North Herts Adult disability team and was nominated by Kelly Mary Kent
After splitting a very large team to make 2 small teams, the North Herts Adult Disability Team was formed.
Since forming, there has been lots of changes and staff shortages but the team stood tall and is proud to continually support each other along with the people and families we support.
The team have continuously had to change their plans to cover emergencies and have done this with a smile. They take time to check in with each other and really show they care for each other. It’s a fantastic team and they really deserve recognition for their hard work.
The Emergency Duty Service
The Emergency Duty Service is an amazing team at Bracknell Council and was nominated by Caroline Rowsell
I am nominating the team as I feel they are an amazing group of individuals who work across all disciplines, when the six localities of Berkshire are closed. I have worked for them for 13 years and have experienced some superb work undertaken. I am an individual who not only had extensive Care Experience, but am also a qualified Social Worker and AMHP (trainee). I would have been proud and honoured to call some of my colleagues my social worker when I was in Care, as their commitment is outstanding, person centred and they have a real can do creative approach in dealing with situations.
Their outstanding work with young people over the years has been heartwarming to see and the time they have given when people feel vulnerable and desperate. We are a quirky bunch of people who are accepting of each other and work particularly hard to understand each other’s challenges, complexities and diversities.
I believe the team go above and beyond to support vulnerable people in times of need. We are a diverse group of individuals who represent the care that social care should be about. The Team is resilient, tenacious and empathic to the stories of those who present to our service. We reflect, cry, laugh and eat together, we have a good moan at times too.
In the current political climate and various challenges that our region, nation and world have experienced, we have remained strong and continued to provide a service 365 days a year. There are times when working in an emergency setting can be challenging, especially with working with six localities. I’m proud that we are a team who takes on anything that comes through our door and have a wonderful working partnership with our fellow agencies.
Wiltshire Council Advice & Contact Team
The Wiltshire Council Advice & Contact team is an amazing team at Wiltshire Councial and was nominated by Lorraine Janes
The Advice and Contact team are the first point of contact when accessing Adult Social Care. The team have 7000 referrals each month via emails, online portal referrals and calls. The social work Team are Incredible! They work so hard day each day to ensure our customers of Wiltshire are as safe as possible and provide them with the support and advice they need to lead independently and meaningful lives.
The social workers manage a high level of work efficiently and effectively. Dealing with difficult high-risk situations and they do this to an exceptional standard. They look to ensure customers safety and screen all safeguarding referrals that come through. They risk assess daily and prioritise accordingly. They work so well as a team, supporting one another and they manage the demand extremely well. I'm super proud of the team and their dedication to supporting our customers of Wiltshire.