Council win gold at prestigious Social Worker of the Year Awards
The council’s social care team won the Children and Adults Social Care category in the prestigious Social Worker of the Year Awards.
The team was announced as a finalist for their Experts in Practice Project (EXIP) - practitioner-led research project - in September, then announced winners at the awards ceremony on Friday, 17 October.
Experts in Practice (EXIP) is an innovative and unique programme that supports the development and progression of staff. EXIP is a research-based project, linking Sunderland University and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Our EXIPs work in a wide range of teams. EXIPs use relational and strength-based approaches to support the people they work with. They are content creators, using national and international information, alongside local co-produced knowledge, and expertise to develop training, tools, information, and resources that support their peers and multi-agency partners, to enable them to support the communities and people they serve.
Huge congratulations to social workers Amy Waterfield, Amy Townson, Anna Yoxall, Deborah Parker, Linda Austin, Jacquelyn McNulty, Charlotte Swainston, Sharon Crossen, Andrew Robson and Natalie Bell; therapeutic practitioner Danielle Farley and occupational therapist Louise Colley, who won their category in the prestigious Social Worker of the Year Awards 2025.
Councillor Nick Wallis, cabinet member for children and young people, said, “We are extremely proud of all our staff, who work tirelessly to deliver the best services to our residents, and these award ceremonies are a great way to recognise the hard work, dedication and passion within our teams. Well done, everybody.”
Councillor Anne Marie Curry, cabinet member for adult services, added, “Each EXIP is allocated research time, whilst giving up their own time too, to create these resources that will support others. The impact of the work completed by our EXIP group has been far-reaching and continues to blossom. I am so pleased the judges recognised the work achieved by the team. It is such great news. Congratulations, everyone.”