Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust win ‘Team of the Year’ at national social work awards

The Social Worker of the Year awards were established in 2006 by independent social work practitioner, Beverley Williams MBE. The Awards celebrate social work and promote positive stories from the profession.

Each award category is judged by an independent panel of social workers, people with lived experience, and senior figures from the world of social work.

Established in 2022, the Reconnect: Care after Custody team is made up of 20 individuals who work tirelessly to change the lives of a client group that is so often overlooked.

The team offers support and release planning for up to 12 weeks prior to release from prison. It consists of a range of professionals including mental health nurses, social workers, and staff who have lived experienced of the criminal justice system and of working with individuals with multiple disadvantages.

The aim is to improve continuity of care for vulnerable people leaving prison by working with them before they leave, as well as supporting their transition to community-based services.

At any one time, the team support an average of 200 people and the ethos at the heart of all they do is that “people aren’t hard to reach but services can be!”. They have demonstrated the ability to be flexible and responsive to the needs of individuals who may previously have found it difficult to trust services.

The team uses a person-centred and trauma-informed approach to build trusting relationships. They believe that while assessments are important, the focus of their social work is around hopes, dreams and aspirations, and working with people to support them to achieve their goals. The positive impact their work has made is evident in the testimonials from service users, who described a team that is non-judgemental, never gives up and always believes in people.

Upon winning their award, Charlie Phillips from Reconnect: Care After Custody Team said: “This means so much. We’re a relatively new service at two years in, but we really pride ourselves in what we’ve been able to achieve across Lancashire and Cumbria. We have a diverse workforce which includes a variety of people with different background so to win this award is recognition of everyone on that team for the great work they’ve done to get us where we are today.”

The Team of the Year, Adult Services Award was sponsored by trade union UNISON.

A spokesperson for UNISON said: “Congratulations to this year’s winner & finalists of the Team of the Year, Adult Services Award. As category sponsor, and an organisation built on solidarity and togetherness, UNISON pays tribute to the social work teams practising effective team working on a daily basis. 

“Great teamwork, alongside high-quality professionalism is at the heart of excellent public service and social work. Social workers do vital work in supporting and protecting individuals and communities. We are really pleased that through these awards they are receiving some well-deserved recognition for the work they’ve done.”

Peter Hay CBE, Chair of Trustees for the Social Worker of the Year Awards, said “The Awards celebrate the very best in social work, showcasing the remarkable achievements of those in the profession. It’s a real honour to highlight the inspiring accomplishments of both individuals and organisations in this often-underappreciated field. Congratulations to all of our finalists and winners, and a heartfelt thank you to our sponsors for making these Awards possible.