Dementia, anti-social behaviour and mental health feature among winners of Social Care Accolades.

Social workers working alongside children and adults were among those honoured at the Social Care Accolades in Cardiff on 21 June. The county councils of Flintshire, Anglesey and Rhondda Cynon Taf featured prominently in the seven awards at the Care Council for Wales event, a biannual recognition of the benefits of investment in the learning and development of the workforce.

Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council picked up three prizes, including for its one-year partnership project with Dementia Care Matters and Clydach Court Care Home to improve care for residents with dementia. The Council also won awards for becoming the first local authority training centre to offer work-based qualifications in childcare for early years practitioners – offering drop-in surgeries helped people fit in training with working patterns and family life – and for an interactive workshop initiative with South Wales Police aimed at raising awareness among young people of the impact on vulnerable people of anti-social behaviour.

Flintshire County Council won in the category of Better Outcomes Through Working Together for a project providing flexible support to enable people with mental health problems to become more independent and active in the community.

Anglesey County Council landed the Citizens Controlling Services prize for a partnership project with Agewell Hywliog Môn to develop three community centres for older people, offering a range of services and activities to reduce social isolation and help maintain independence for as long as possible.

The charity Prospects for Young People came away from the awards event, held at Cardiff’s Town Hall, with recognition of its work in developing ‘person-centred planning’ across all 11 children’s homes within its Wrexham-based organisation. The Social Care Accolades judging panel said its efforts enabled “children to get involved in planning services to meet their needs now and in the future”.

BASW Cymru offered its congratulations to Steve Elliott, a Director of Prospects for Younjg People, who also sits on the Association’s Committee in Wales. BASW Cymru Manager Robin Moulster said: “Steve is a valued member of our Committee in Wales and it is extremely pleasing to note the recognition for his organisation at this prestigious awards ceremony.”

Speaking at the event, Gwenda Thomas AM, Deputy Minister for Social Services, said: "These awards are not just about celebrating success today, they're about learning from what we see and using it to help us prepare for the future to develop new ways of working.”

It was a view echoed by Arwel Ellis Owen, Chair of the Social Care Accolades judging panel. Highlighting the fact that 5% of the total workforce in Wales is involved in some form of social care and early years and childcare – equivalent to a workforce of around 88,000 – Mr Ellis Own said: “All the finalists obviously value their people highly. Investing in staff, particularly in their training and development, is the best investment they can make, usually resulting in improvements in performance, morale and recruitment and retention. And, importantly, all this is likely to feed into better outcomes for people receiving services.

“The Accolades are much more than a set of awards, though. They are also an excellent platform to share best practice, not only at the awards ceremony, but also over the coming months, when we will be making arrangments to share learning from the winning projects and others. By doing so, we can collectively learn from each other and provide even better services to those who need them right across Wales.”

The Social Care Accolades were launched in 2005 and this year’s event attracted more than 70 nominations, a record for the event.

Full list of winners

Better Outcomes Through Working Together (sponsored by Deloitte)
• Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council and South Wales Police - for an interactive workshop for young people to raise their awareness of how anti-social and discriminatory behaviour can affect vulnerable people in the community

• Flintshire County Council for a project to provide flexible support for people with mental health problems, helping them become more independent and active in the community.

Citizens Controlling Services
Anglesey County Council - for a partnership project with Agewell Hywliog Môn to develop three community centres for older people, offering a range of services and activities to reduce social isolation and help maintain independence for as long as possible.

Developing a Sustainable Workforce (sponsored by Morgan Cole)
Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council - for becoming the first local authority training centre to offer work-based qualifications in childcare for early years practititioners. Innovative measures such as support sessions and drop-in surgeries helped people fit in training with working patterns and family life.

Excellent Outcomes in the Care of Older People (sponsored by Barchester Healthcare)
Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council - for a one-year partnership project with Dementia Care Matters and Clydach Court Care Home to improve care for residents with dementia.

Excellent Outcomes in the Care of Younger People, Children and Early Years
Prospects for Young People - for the development of person-centred planning across all 11 children’s homes within its organisation, enabling children to get involved in planning services to meet their needs now and in the future.

Leadership to Achieve Confident, Competent and Professional Workers (sponsored by Educ8 Training Limited)
Care Without Compromise Ltd - for its leadership programme to train staff in positive behavioural support skills to improve care for young vulnerable adults and reduce the need for physical restraint.

Find out more by visiting the Social Care Accolades section of the CCW website

BASW Cymru wish to offer their sincere congratulations to Committee Member, Steve Elliott, who is a Director of Prospects Care – winners of the Award for Excellent Outcomes for Younger People, Children and Early Years. Steve is a valued member of our committee in Wales and it is extremely pleasing to note the recognition for his organisation at this prestigious awards ceremony.