Entrants sought for Social Care Accolades awards

Social work teams in Wales are being reminded there’s just two months left to enter the Social Care Accolades 2013 awards, recognising best practice in the country.

Led by the Care Council for Wales, the scheme highlights teams and organisations that have been successful in delivering better services and support for communities.

There are six categories to enter and the deadline is 1 February. Winners will be announced at a ceremony on 21 June.

Care Council for Wales chair, Arwel Ellis Owen, said: “We know there is much innovative work taking place across Wales to transform social care so it can meet peoples’ needs, and this is the time to celebrate and share this good practice.

 “For 2013, the entry categories for the Accolades are focused on attracting submissions that demonstrate how initiatives are meeting the agenda of the Welsh Government’s policy paper, Sustainable Social Services for Wales: A Framework for Action, by investing in their staff and creating a new level of professionalism.

The six categories for 2013 are:

• Leadership to achieve confident, competent and professional workers, which is sponsored by Educ8 Training
• Citizens controlling services
• Better outcomes through working together
• Developing a sustainable workforce
• Excellent outcomes in the care of older people, which is sponsored by Barchester Healthcare
• Excellent outcomes in the care of younger people/children/early years

Previous winners in 2011 included Gwynedd Council for the development of a bilingual computer software package; Cardiff Council for a project addressing recruitment and retention challenges in its children’s services department and Monmouthshire County Council for improving support and guidance to young people with a disability to move into adulthood.

The award is open to all teams, groups and organisations across the social care sector in Wales whether private, voluntary or statutory.

The judging panel will be made up of representatives from the Association of Directors of Social Services Cymru; Care Forum Wales; Children in Wales; the National Leadership and Innovation Agency for Healthcare; the Social Care Institute for Excellence; the Social Services Improvement Agency; the Wales Council for Voluntary Action and the Care Council.

Entry forms are available from the Care Council website www.ccwales.org.uk