Social Work Awards 2016: Celebrating excellence in social work practice
The 2016 Social Work Awards ceremony was held on Friday 18th November in the Armagh City Hotel. This year’s event celebrated the contribution of service users and highlighted the rich and diverse range of people social workers work alongside.
There were a record number of 93 applications received from social work teams and individuals across Northern Ireland, with 24 shortlisted as finalists.
The nine award categories and their winners are:-
- Children’s Services (Team Award) – Specialist Fostering Team, Northern Health and Social Care Trust
- Adult Services (Team Award) – Dementia Home Support Team, Northern Health and Social Care Trust
- Partnership (Team Award) – Regional Adult Safeguarding Programme, Belfast, South Eastern, Northern Health and Social Care Trusts and Ulster University
- Learning and Development (Individual Award) – Jane McCullough, South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust
- Children’s Services (Individual Award) – Geraldine Boyce, Southern Health and Social Care Trust
- Adult Services (Individual Award) – Angela Wilson, Southern Health and Social Care Trust
- Newly Qualified Social Worker (Individual Award) – Jonathon Dillon, Northern Health and Social Care Trust
- Lifetime Achievement Award Sponsored by Northern Ireland Association of Social Workers – Jean O’Neill , Probation Board for Northern Ireland (pictured with Marcella Leonard, Chair, NIASW)
The social media campaign #SWmakesadifference ran in the lead up to the NI Social Work Awards ceremony. Featuring local social workers the campaign highlighted the positive impact of the profession on individuals, families and communities. View the complete #SWmakesadifference series of short films here:-
#SWmakesadifference on youtube
The Social Work Awards are led by the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) organised in conjunction with the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC), the Northern Ireland Association of Social Workers (NIASW), and the five Health and Social Care Trusts in partnership with social work organisations from criminal justice, education and the voluntary and independent sectors.