THE charity which organises the Social Worker of the Year Awards is on the lookout for staff in Wiltshire who have gone the extra mile to make a positive difference to the lives of people around the county.

Entries are being accepted for the 2021 awards and members of the public are being encouraged to nominate social workers who they feel deserve to be recognised for their hard work and support.

Taking place virtually at the end of November, the theme of this year’s event is ‘Reconnection and Recognition’, highlighting social workers’ efforts during the last 12 months as they help communities to reconnect and to move forward from their experiences during the pandemic.

There will be 12 award categories to enter, including two new additions: Social Justice Advocate Award and University of the Year. Nominations must be made before July 23.

In March 2022, an exclusive parliamentary reception event at the House of Commons will return, with sponsors and award winners from 2019 and 2021 invited to attend.

Chair of the Social Work Awards Peter Hay CBE said: “The aim of our event last year was to say thank you to social workers who selflessly continued to support families and the most vulnerable people in our communities during a period of great difficulty for everybody.

"This year, as we navigate through the turbulence caused by the pandemic, it’s so important for us to take the time to reconnect with each other. As a charity we also feel the time is right to bring back the awards to recognise outstanding social work practice during the pandemic.

"We hope the Social Worker of the Year Awards 2021, which also falls on our 10th anniversary, inspires social workers across England to connect together, reflect on the last year and look forward to the future.”

The charity is inviting local authorities, universities, and other sector companies to get involved in this year’s awards by signing up to be a sponsor.

Starting from £2,000, sponsoring the event will give organisations the chance to promote their support of social work and commitment to continuous professional improvement of the social work community.

To find out more or reserve your sponsorship, email awards@socialworkawards.com.

The full list of categories is:

• Student Social Worker of the Year

• Newly Qualified Social Worker of the Year

• Adult Social Worker of the Year

• Children’s Social Worker of the Year

• Team Leader of the Year

• Mental Health Social Worker of the Year

• Practice Educator of the Year

• Social Justice Advocate of the Year

• Team of the Year (any team including MDTs)

• University of the Year

• Employer of the Year

• Outstanding Contribution during Covid-19 (winner of winners)

To nominate an inspirational social worker for the awards, visit he website https://socialworkawards.awardsplatform.com