Central Bedfordshire Council employees scoops double national social work award win

Holly Shreeves, who works at Central Bedfordshire Council, won the award for Newly Qualified Children’s Social Worker of the Year while Elizabeth Okankor Badu, who also works at the council, took home the prize for Newly Qualified Adult Social Worker of the Year Award at the prestigious ceremony, held in London on 8 November.

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.

Holly Shreeves is a social worker with less than a year’s experience but already her practice and approach has been recognised as outstanding by her managers.

Holly’s passion for supporting young people can be traced back to when she was just a teenager herself and volunteered at a pupil referral unit. Throughout her time at university, where she studied psychology, she gave her time to a women’s charity for addiction and as an appropriate adult. She later moved into youth work as a mentor for young people in crisis.

As a newly qualified social worker in the council’s Family Solutions Team, this passion and commitment to remaining child-focused shines through in each case Holly takes on. She has excelled at creative direct work, supporting one young person to have a safe space to open up to her by taking him regularly for walks. She has also ensured that the young people she supports participate in their care and the trusting relationships she builds has led to many of them attending their own meetings - an uncommon occurrence among teenagers.

In her first year, Holly has also held some incredibly complex and challenging cases, including a young person at high risk of criminal exploitation. But she has managed this to the highest professional standard and is credited by her colleagues as already modelling the values and behaviours of a practitioner with considerably more experience.

Upon winning her award, Holly said: “I’m in complete shock, I know there are some amazing social workers in this category, so I just feel so grateful to have won!”

The Newly Qualified Children’s Social Worker of the Year category was supported by West Sussex County Council. Cllr Jacquie Russell, Cabinet Member for Children & Young People, Learning and Skills at West Sussex County Council said: “We know just how valuable a strong team of social workers is to a local authority and also how important it is to recognise the hard work and dedication of individuals, especially those who are at the beginning of their social work careers. That is why we are very proud to be sponsoring the ‘Newly Qualified Children’s Social Worker of the Year’ category this year and I would like to congratulate the winners of these awards.

“Social Work has many challenges, but it can also be hugely rewarding. Social workers are crucial to helping local authorities, like West Sussex County Council, keep children safe from vulnerable situations and helping them achieve their potential."

Elizabeth Badu is described by her colleagues as a breath of fresh air, and first joined the Hospital Discharge First-Response team as a student social worker before becoming a permanent staff member after graduating and starting her Assessment and Supported Year in Employment programme. Here, she has demonstrated a strong commitment to community social work values and a creative approach to practice.

She always puts the person she is supporting at the centre, and this was illustrated in the case example included with her nomination. The woman, who was a wheelchair user and of African heritage, had been left for hours without care and support after being transferred to a home that was neither diverse nor culturally appropriate for her needs.

While the woman was upset on her first visit, Elizabeth challenged the perception of others that she was ‘difficult to work with’ and instead used her skills to begin to build a trusting relationship. Together they produced a plan that ensured her needs were met. Afterwards, the service user commented: “I wish Elizabeth could be my social worker forever.”

Elizabeth treats everyone with dignity and respect and has demonstrated the ability to think outside the box to bring about positive and lasting outcomes for the people she supports.

Upon winning her award, Elizabeth said: “It’s been such a challenging year, I’m truly overwhelmed, I’m happy, I’m pleased, there are just so many great social workers out there so I’m so pleased to have been recognised.”

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.