Awards for staff who help to keep Powys residents safe

4 July 2023

Two members of Powys County Council staff have received Lifetime Achievement Awards for their work to protect children at risk.

The accolades were handed out at the Mid and West Wales Regional Safeguarding Board's annual awards, when a third member of staff was also highly commended for her work to get Powys teenagers' opinions on new health and social care initiatives.

The Long Service/Lifetime Achievement Awards were given to Claire Williams, Practice Learning and Development Officer, and to Andrea Roberts, Independent Reviewing Officer.

Claire has worked in social care for nearly 30 years and has been a qualified social worker for more than 20 years. Her nomination said she has "worked tirelessly to support people in need of protection and support in a variety of roles" and now helps students and newly qualified social workers to reach the highest standards possible while working for the council.

Andrea has been a key advocate in implementing an approach to keeping Powys children safe, called Signs of Safety, which focuses on collaboration, risk management and encouraging the affected children to talk about what is happening to them. She is also a great supporter of children who have been taken into care and is dedicated to finding the best ways of communicating with any child she is working with.

Sharon Titley, Commissioning and Project Officer, was highly commended in the Co-production in Safeguarding category. She has been instrumental in establishing a board for young people, aged 11-17 in Powys, who want to have their say on new initiatives in health and social care, and has led on the implementation of a new planning tool which aims to deliver better mental health, wellbeing and support services.

A Special Recognition Award was also presented to the Junior Regional Safeguarding Board, which includes young people from Powys, for its work on a "powerful" animation, which is now used in safeguarding training.

"It's great to see staff from Social Services getting the recognition they deserve from safeguarding colleagues who are working across Mid and West Wales," said Cllr Sandra Davies, Powys County Council's Cabinet Member for Future Generations. "I applaud them for everything they have done and continue to do to protect Powys children from harm."

Cllr Siân Cox, Cabinet Member for a Caring Powys added: "For most social workers, quietly helping people to live the lives they want to live is the main reward for work that is often exceptionally challenging. I was delighted to watch these dedicated women be recognised and celebrated publicly. We are privileged to count them among our own in Powys Social Services." 

There were also award nominations for Powys County Council's Emma Wright, Team Manager Care and Support South; Louisa Rawstron, Team Manager Integrated Disability Team South; Tanya Bradbury, Principle Social Worker, Assessment Team North; and Holly Gordon, Senior Manager Safeguarding and Quality Assurance.

If you are a qualified social worker who would like to find out more about working with award winning colleagues in Powys, visit:

• Children's Services: Working in Children's Services
• Adult Social Care: Working for Adult Social Care

All our current roles are available to see here: https://en.powys.gov.uk/job-vacancies?cats=8537370zHU%2C3202170zHU

PICTURE: Powys County Council staff who were nominated and their supporters at the Mid and West Wales Regional Safeguarding Board's annual awards ceremony which was held at Dyfed-Powys Police Headquarters in Carmarthenshire.