UK’s first award for outstanding reporting of social work launched

The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) is launching an award scheme to recognise high quality journalism featuring social work in the mainstream media.
journalism awards

The BASW Social Work Journalism Awards aim to celebrate creative, informed and sensitive reporting that demonstrates an outstanding understanding of the profession.

The awards are split across three categories – mainstream print journalism, mainstream broadcast journalism (including podcasts) and finally, specalist trade print. Each category contains two awards: one for news reporting, the other for more in-depth feature pieces.

Nominations open on 1 March and are for any report published or broadcast in the national, regional mainstream, and specialist press during 2022 until the submissions deadline of 28 April 2023. Nominations should be emailed to BASW@Awards.co.uk and include a short description of no more than 300 words briefly explaining why you think the piece deserves to be recognised. 

Dr Ruth Allen, chief executive of BASW, said: “By launching these awards, we want to highlight and celebrate responsible and accurate journalism across the UK and to encourage thought-provoking, informed and creative reporting of our profession.

“Ours is a complex and nuanced area of work and we know it can be difficult for busy journalists on tight deadlines to always get it right.

“But good reporting matters because negative stereotyping of social work in the media impacts upon public perception and perpetuates misunderstanding of our profession.”

John McGowan, general secretary of the Social Workers Union which is supporting BASW in the awards, added: “Journalists play a pivotal role in informing the public and shaping public perception. By celebrating the good, I hope these important awards will help journalists think more deeply about how they represent our profession in the future.”

The judging panel includes leading social workers, journalists with knowledge of the sector and people with lived experience of social care. Shortlisted journalists will be invited to an award ceremony reception to be held at BASW’s annual conference on 13 June.

*The awards are being led by BASW and supported by the Social Workers Union (SWU) which together with the Campaign Collective has published new Guidelines on media reporting of social workers. The guidance, which has been approved by press regulator IMPRESS, is part of a wider campaign by BASW and SWU to improve the public's perception of social work.

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