Care providers celebrated at awards hosted by Skills for Care’s Tristram Gardner
15 Dec 2023
3 min read
This #GoodNewsFriday we hear more about the Care Professional of the Year Awards, hosted by Skills for Care’s Deputy CEO Tristram Gardner.
The annual Care Professional of the Year Awards are organised by the Inspired to Care team based at Leicestershire County Council and Leicester City Council.
The team is a joint recruitment and retention support project for independent sector employers funded by the two councils.
The annual awards event started in 2018 and is a celebration of the talent and dedication of social care professionals across Leicester and Leicestershire.
This year there was 22 award categories, including Care Leader of the Year and Learning Disability support professional of the Year. Each winner received a trophy and a gift voucher. The overall award of Care Professional of the Year 2023 was awarded to Lesley Mansfield, registered manager of The Old School House in Coalville, Leicestershire.
Tristram Gardner, Deputy CEO, Skills for Care was delighted to be asked to be Master of Ceremonies for the event.
The judging panel included local authority representatives, employer representatives, Integrated Care Board (ICB) representatives, and people with lived experience of drawing on care and support.
The awards are sponsored by local businesses, making it truly a community event.
This year Inspired to Care received a record 610 nominations, with 250 people attending the ceremony and over 350 watching the event on Facebook Live or via the recording after the event. The Inspired to Care website had 55,000 visits after the ceremony.
In advance of the awards The Inspired to Care team attended a local Registered Managers Network meeting to give a practical workshop on applying for industry awards. They discussed the benefits of applying for awards - including celebrating staff success and boosting reputation to potential candidates. They also provided top tips for writing nominations, such as using quotes from people drawing on care and support, giving clear examples to back up statements about the talent of the staff member, and focusing on the impact of their work.
The Care Professional of the Year Awards raise the profile of careers in adult social care by showcasing the achievements of people working in the sector.
The awards also give the local authorities and employers an opportunity to show staff how much their work is valued. We know from our research that staff who feel valued are more likely to be retained.
Tristram Gardner, CEO, Skills for Care, says:
It was an honour to be invited to host the Care Professional of the Year Awards and to be able to celebrate all the worthy winner and nominees.
Events such as these are so important in showcasing and recognising the dedicated and important work of social care professionals, and these awards are a really positive example of how local authorities can support and celebrate the care sector.
Michelle Reynolds, External Workforce Lead and Manager of Inspired to Care at Leicestershire County Council, says:
The awards have a two-fold purpose. The first is to say thank you to all the care professionals, to show that their work is appreciated and that their dedication is recognised, not only by the local authorities and the sector but also by those using their services. The second is to showcase their amazing work and the breadth of roles in the sector.
Share your good news stories with us by emailing marketing@skillsforcare.org.uk
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