The third annual Frontline Awards took place in London this week, celebrating excellence, innovation and leadership in children’s social work.

Prizes were awarded in seven categories, recognising high-quality practice along with young people making a difference in the sector.

Attendees included social workers, care leavers, children’s minister Janet Daby, safeguarding minister Jess Phillips, education select committee chair Helen Hayes and care experienced Olympian Fatima Whitbread.

Approaching families with kindness

Jemma Vickers won the award for practice for her creative and empathetic work in Barnsley council’s children’s disability team. 

This included with a family where the father and children had significant learning disabilities, building trust where others had struggled and achieving strong outcomes.

The same father is now co-developing training with her to help other practitioners engage families with similar needs.

Jemma said: “This award means everything – not only for me and my team but also because disabled children’s teams can be overlooked in some areas. People don’t really understand what we do, and what we do is everything.”

Her advice to social workers was straightforward – approach families with kindness and take the time to understand both the children and the parents.

“Have a holistic approach and don’t go in thinking, ‘Well, this is because this parent’s not doing this’. It’s unpicking and understanding [their circumstances]. Does this parent have the capacity to do this?” she said.

“If they don’t, what can we do to work with them – providing training courses, support packages, respite – so that they feel equipped to support their child?”

Read the full article here: https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2025/05/23/2025-frontline-awards-winners-unveiled/