The finalists for the 2025 Social Worker of the Year Awards have been unveiled.
Just over 100 practitioners, managers, teams and organisations have been shortlisted across 18 categories for the annual awards scheme that celebrates excellence in social work in England.
As in previous years, the vast majority of finalists are from statutory bodies - councils, children's trusts, NHS trusts or Cafcass - or universities.
However, the shortlist also includes representation from the voluntary sector, independent social work and even an energy company.
Commenting on the list, Peter Hay, chair of the Social Work Awards, the charity that organises the scheme, said: "Thank you to the hundreds of people who took the time out of their day to nominate a friend, colleague, or team for an award this year."
"And, to everybody nominated for an award, congratulations. Being nominated for a national award, whilst supporting others through exceptional practice in your day-to-day, is a remarkable achievement of which you should be very proud.”
Social Worker of the Year Awards 2025 shortlist
Adult social worker of the year- Andrea Bennett, Kent County Council
- Alex Giasemidis, Cambridgeshire County Council
- Jayne Lee, Essex County Council
- Sophia Hussain, London Borough of Redbridge
- Rebecca Grover, Stockton on Tees Borough Council
- Rachael Glave, Sunderland City Council
- Tim Bangora, London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
- Cait Hogan, Essex County Council
- Jeanette Brean, London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
- Andrea Bassi, Birmingham Children’s Trust
- Samantha O’Rourke, London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
- Nicola Tinker, Cumberland Council
- John Lovatt, Hartlepool Borough Council
- Stephen Day, Team Fostering
- Sally Smith, independent social worker
- Maria Moore, Liverpool City Council
- Susan McNulty, Team Fostering
- Mark Waterhouse, Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
- Guild Parkrun, Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust
- South Shropshire community social work team, Shropshire Council
- Homeless move on team, Bristol City Council
- Front door team, Sunderland City Council
- Octopus Energy social work team, Octopus Energy
- Mental health accommodation model, Essex County Council
- Young carers team, Central Bedfordshire Council
- My Place Yorkshire
- Out of hours team, Hampshire County Council
- Mental health co-ordinators, Essex County Council
- Stepping Stones, Shropshire Council
- Simona Calzavara, East London NHS Foundation Trust
- Debbie Dobson, North Lincolnshire Council
- Khurram Ghafoor, Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust
- Alison Louise James, Swindon Borough Council
- Molly Butler, Calderdale Council
- Joanne Sarah McMahon, Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
- Nerea Lopez Melgarejo, University of Cumbria
- Susuana Gyampoh Senghor, London Metropolitan University
- Lisa Andrews, University of Huddersfield
- Dominika Wojciechowska, Manchester Metropolitan University
- Terrance Coates, Kingston University
- Christine Walsh, Hull University
- Rhiannon Williams, Brighton and Hove City Council
- Victoria Southward, Gateshead Council
- Anthony Achebe, Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
- Paul Caston, Livewell Southwest
- Gemma Harmer, Rochdale Borough Council
- Danielle Hall, Cumberland Council
- Toby Spaxman, City of York Council
- Lashonte Royal, London Borough of Hillingdon
- Michela Cambareri, Lancashire South Cumbria Foundation Trust
- Joe Peppiatt, Essex County Council
- Deborah Etim, Coventry City Council
- Helen Rose, North Lincolnshire Council
- Clare Bailey, Wokingham Council/Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
- Fran Marshall, Cambridgeshire County Council
- Eirini Zochiou, Sunderland City Council
- Helen Macisaac, Essex County Council
- Nora Hanna, Cambridgeshire County Council
- Antonia Ogundayisi, Essex County Council
- Sarah Malivoire, Central Bedfordshire Council
- Anne Stoker, London Borough of Enfield
- Paula Purcell, London Borough of Redbridge
- Nana Yabbey-Hagan, London Borough of Merton
- Daniel Kelly, Cafcass
- Safeguarding and professional practice service, Durham County Council
- Technology enhanced lives service, Kent County Council
- The Scribe project team, Cafcass
- Georgina Kent, Hull City Council
- Integrated front door, North East Lincolnshire Council
- The Relational Social Work Podcast, Coventry City Council
- Lisa Richey, East Sussex County Council
- Jane King, North Yorkshire Council
- Claire Yates, Bath Spa University
- The experts in practice project, Darlington Borough Council
- Victoria Bunting, Norfolk County Council
- Karen Nixon, Dawn Statham, Stacey Wilde, and Paul Campbell, social work learning academy, Midlands Partnership University Foundation NHS Trust
- Aga M. Buckley, Kingston University
- Sian Thomas, University of Birmingham
- John Paul Anastasiadis, University of Hertfordshire
- Theresa Kambani, Bedford Borough Council
- Sharon Ndoro, Cambridgeshire County Council
- Omar Mohamed, Oxford Brookes University
- Shropshire Council Anti-Racism Forum (SCARF), Shropshire Council
- Danielle Hetherington-Parker, BCP Council
- Thabang Thacker, Cambridgeshire County Council
- David Redpath-Smith, Cheshire West and Chester Council
- Dr Jen Cooper, Change Grow Live – Inspire Lancashire
- Leesah Edwards, Social Work Coaching Hub
- Anne Marie Lambert, University of Salford
- Karen Rodgers, Cambridgeshire County Council
- Emma Ball, Octopus Energy
- Natalie Robertson, London Borough of Lambeth
- Charlotte Roberts, Hartlepool Borough Council
- Alice Horler, Rochdale Borough Council
- Essex County Council
- Barnsley Council
- Birmingham Children’s Trust
- Children, young people & learning service, West Sussex County Council
- Children and families directorate, Westmorland and Furness Council
- Adult services, West Sussex County Council
