THERE have been winners and finalists from Holsworthy at this year’s Social Worker of the Year Awards, helping to place Devon County Council among the highest achieving authorities in the sector, having scooped a number of accolades at the recent awards.

Seventy eight social workers and social work teams from across England were selected as finalists across 15 different categories, celebrating the achievements of social care practitioners in services that support children and adults.

Of eight Devon County Council social workers or social worker teams selected as finalists by an expert panel of judges, three were announced as category winners and runner-ups.

They included the council’s Daytime Adult Mental Health Practitioner Service, who operate in Holsworthy, and whose members took gold to win the Team of the Year category for adult social care; as well as the Exeter-based Maria Kneller, who took silver in the Adult Social Worker of the Year category; and Joanna Armstrong, who took Silver in the Practice Educator of the Year category, who is based in North Devon.

The award ceremony is considered by those in the social care business to be the leading celebration of its kind in the sector, recognising the success of the profession’s most innovative and dedicated social workers.

Cllr Stuart Baker, Devon County Council’s cabinet member for adult social care, said: “Few authorities have worked as hard as Devon to continue meeting the diverse needs of our population. And despite financial constraints, which have brought new challenges and prompted different ways of working to help people live as independently as possible, I’m delighted that our social workers are continuing to make real differences, and that their achievements are being recognised.”