Norfolk team wins national awards

Norfolk County Council's People from Abroad Team has won the Overall Social Worker of the Year award and gold Team of the Year award in the Children's Services category (including MDTs), after beating competition from across the country.

Friday's Social Worker of the Year Awards saw people from across England gather to celebrate positive stories of outstanding social work, creative and compassionate practitioners, and exemplary practice.

The team, which has helped more than 500 people to date, supports children and families in need, as well as adults who struggle to access traditional services due to their immigration status; resettled refugee families; and families who have no recourse to public funds.

Penny Carpenter, cabinet member for Children's Services at Norfolk County Council, said: "We are incredibly proud of the People from Abroad Team for their dedication and hard work. The team is flexible and proactive and is always seeking to improve its offer to ensure that the people in its care can grow. This recognition is a testament to their commitment to improving the lives of children and families in our community."

Alison Thomas, cabinet member for Adults Services, said "Time and again this team goes above and beyond to help people, who often arrive here with nothing, to rebuild their lives in Norfolk. I was delighted to meet some of the families we help at the Annual Bishops Garden party in the summer and hear at first hand the value of the support the team have given them. Many people talk about the impact that they have made in their lives, so it's wonderful to see them get this well-earned recognition."

Immigration social work is a complex field, but the People from Abroad Team at Norfolk County Council has developed an approach that is now regarded by the Home Office as an example of excellence. A Home Office representative said: "Nothing is too much of an ask for the People from Abroad Team, who consistently go above and beyond for the families they support."

The People from Abroad Team has excelled in supporting displaced and often stigmatised individuals, making them feel welcome and safe. Recently, the team has faced high demand for its services. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they supported over 100 asylum seekers in the East of England at an emergency accommodation site. After the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, they resettled as many families as possible and have also housed and supported Ukrainian families dealing with trauma. The team has further developed their skills to advocate for those they support, with four social workers becoming registered immigration advisors.

Sherry Malik, vice-chair of the awards' board of trustees, said: "The people from abroad team provide a vital service for families and individuals fleeing their own countries and arriving here in circumstances none of us could ever imagine ourselves in.

"They support them to rebuild their lives, step by step - from accommodation to language needs, from schools for the children to getting to know the area and to settle in the community. They do it with compassion, kindness and without judgment and in creative ways with diminishing resources. Their work truly deserves this accolade."

A customer described the team's work as: "A glimmer of hope and a sense of stability during a time of uncertainty."

Simon Shreeve, Service Manager for the People from Abroad Team at Norfolk County Council, said: "This award is a wonderful acknowledgment of the team's hard work and dedication. We are honored to be recognised among so many outstanding practitioners and teams."

The team said: "We love what we do because the people we work with are amazing, they've overcome adversity, and it makes us go that extra mile for them.

"We see people at their most vulnerable and we work to get them to a point where they no longer need us and can fly the nest. What is most important to us is empowering people to gain their independence and we know that we've done our best and we've made enough change that they won't come back into the service."

Ellie Vincent was also nominated in the Newly Qualified Social Worker of the Year category. Ellie is a member of the Learning Disabilities Community Social Work team in the east of Norfolk, supporting adults with disabilities to live independent, fulfilling lives.

This year the awards had 18 categories across both children's and adult services including two new categories for 2024; the Technology Enabled Lives and Practice Award and Practitioner-Led Research Award.

For more information about the awards visit www.socialworkawards.com