This award seeks to acknowledge and celebrate an exceptional employer who is committed to their employees delivering an excellent service to children, young people and families. Employers should be able to provide considerable acumen and entrepreneurial flair whilst at the same time having a sustained track record of delivering high quality care and managing improvement and change.

This award recognises the crucial role of the support worker in providing high quality care and support for children, young people and families. Evidence of commitment to person centred approaches, advocacy, alongside dedication, team working our important features for the judges.

This award will be presented to the team who are able to best demonstrate a shared vision and agreed goals. The team should have a leader whose role is known and accepted and who takes personal responsibility for their tasks. Teams should have an excellent communication process and each member’s skills should be recognised within the team. Demonstrating a commitment to child centred care, going the extra mile as well as respect for team members is paramount.

We are looking for the initiative that has helped promote positive change for the lives of vulnerable children and families. This person or team may be a care leaver or be working in the field of children and young people’s services. We are looking for an outstanding individual or team who works creatively and passionately to promote advocacy and wellbeing.

This award recognises best practice in safeguarding children and young people. The judges will look for evidence of excellence in individual work, teamwork and inter-agency working. Wherever possible keeping children and young people within their families but always recognising the paramountcy of the child, being brave and making the right decisions in challenging situations.

This award seeks nominations for an individual or organisation who has made a significant impact in championing the needs and rights of vulnerable children. This outstanding individual or organisation should have a proven track record in bringing together agencies in their locality in order to put vulnerable children at the heart.

This award recognises excellence in helping the transition from care into adult hood, equipping young people leaving care to have the best possible start. Evidence of ongoing support to working in partnership with the young person to promote independence will be key.

This award will be presented to an individual who the judges think has made a long-term outstanding contribution to the lives of vulnerable children, young people and families.

This award recognises excellence in service provision to children with disabilities and their families. Nominees will demonstrate how they go the extra mile in promoting the ability of children with disabilities, amazing inter agency working across Health, social care and education and providing a truly child centred service.

This award recognises the significant part Supported Accommodation plays within the life of a child as they transition from adolescence to adulthood. As a newly regulated sector, it is more important than ever to showcase the excellence that lies within this diverse network of services for young people aged 16 & 17. This awards seeks to highlight a provider or an individual based on the dedication, ambition, and brilliance that they consistently display to young people.

At Forge Care, we believe that love, stability, and unwavering commitment can change a child’s life, and foster carers embody all of this and more. Their selflessness and ability to create a home in the most uncertain times is nothing short of extraordinary. We are proud to sponsor this award to recognise those who open their hearts and homes to children who need it most. As a specialist therapeutic provider, we see the impact that exceptional foster carers can make, and we stand with them, championing their vital role in the wider care community.

This award recognises a senior manager who demonstrates outstanding leadership, strategic vision and a strong commitment to high-quality, child-centred care. They inspire and support their teams, champion inclusion, and ensure services adapt to meet the diverse and changing needs of children and young people, including those with disabilities.

This award seeks to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of an exceptional new member of staff who has started work in the care sector since January 2018. The individual can be someone who is new to the sector or returning after at least two years away.

This award will be given to a foster carer who, in the opinion of the judges, can demonstrate commitment and perseverance even in the most challenging of circumstances in order to make a difference to the child in their care. It seeks to acknowledge and celebrate the selfless dedication that foster carers show when putting the child at the heart of everything. Advocacy and going the extra mile in order to make a difference should also be evident.

Managers set the tone and the culture of a service. The award will celebrate a manager who has demonstrated a high level of expertise, exceptional skills in leadership and management, great support for colleagues and a positive commitment to person centred care for each child. A manager who shows vision in developing high quality services and supporting staff to meet the ever-changing needs of the children they support.

This award recognises an exceptional fostering and/or adoption service that goes above and beyond in striving to find a short term family and forever families there should be evidence of a creative approach to overcoming difficulties as well as supporting families to nurture children through open adoption.

This award recognises an individual or agency who goes above and beyond to promote wellbeing for children and young people and/or ensure that families can stay together. This award is open to family support agencies, children’s centres and specialist agencies and individuals. The judges will also be looking for evidence of providing options for alternative futures for vulnerable parents and children.

This award is open to an organisation who can demonstrate excellence in multi-agency working, transcending boundaries in order to ensure the best interest of children, young people and families. Evidence that the child is more important than the agency working on their behalf is paramount.

This special award will be given to an unpaid carer who, in the opinion of the judges, can demonstrate commitment and perseverance in helping to bring about better recognition and support for young carers. It seeks to acknowledge and celebrate the dedication that young carers show to their local community or society or the difference they have made to the life of a vulnerable person they are caring for.

This award will be given to the Children and Families Social Worker who exemplifies the profession of social work with children and families. They will display motivation, self-awareness and resilience in addition to empathy, leadership, analysis and adaptability and be an excellent communicator. You will be a truly inspirational individual and a model for the profession.

This special award will be awarded to an individual, team or employer who has gone above and beyond during the Covid-19 crisis.

Judges will be looking for examples of a creative,  innovative and flexible approach from outstanding social care professionals.  Selflessness, dedication and a commitment to maintaining the safety, physical and emotional wellbeing of children, young people and/or staff members are all essential criteria.

This award recognises an outstanding Registered Service Manager working within supported accommodation for young people. It celebrates an individual who demonstrates exceptional leadership, ensures regulatory excellence, and creates environments where young people feel safe, valued, and supported to thrive. This award shines a light on professionals that are passionate about driving high standards of support, embedding a reflective and learning culture, and championing the voice and rights of young people. They will lead by example, inspire their teams, and play a key role in preparing young people for independence and brighter futures.

Forge Care exists to create safe, nurturing, and therapeutic homes for children. We know first-hand that outstanding outcomes come from teamwork, creativity, and a relentless belief in every child’s potential. We’re proud to sponsor this award in celebration of those incredible teams who break barriers, challenge assumptions, and deliver child-centred care with heart and purpose. Their dedication inspires us, and this award is about recognising the excellence, innovation and compassion that defines the very best in learning disability support across the sector.

Administrators are the quiet powerhouses of children’s and young people’s services — the organisers, problem‑solvers and steady hands who keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes. This award celebrates an exceptional individual whose professionalism, accuracy and calm coordination ensure that teams can deliver outstanding care and support. From managing complex information to being the first reassuring point of contact for families, this award recognises those who bring order, compassion and reliability to every task, making a vital difference every single day.