A SOCIAL work team which makes sure vulnerable adults are in safe hands has received a ‘silver award’ at a national ceremony.

The team from Worcestershire County Council has received national recognition at the prestigious Social Worker of the Year Awards.

The transitional support planning team, a key part of the council’s major transformation programme titled Future Lives, was named Team of the Year during the awards ceremony which took place at the Lancaster London Hotel. The team was set up in 2010 with the aim of supporting adults to use their personal budgets as well as optimising of resources to keep costs down. Councillor Sheila Blagg, Worcestershire County Council’s cabinet member for adult social care, said: “The social workers work with people and providers of their care to promote independence, increase community engagement and change the formal support element to bring the cost of their care down. Team manager Karen Taylor deserves particular praise as she continues to do excellent work, both in ensuring personalised practice is at the heart of the team and also in working closely with finance in tracking the savings delivered through this team and the other projects she leads.”

James Rook, managing director of headline sponsor Sanctuary Social Care, said: “The team is clearly making a massive difference to the lives of its clients and their achievements thoroughly deserve to be recognised and celebrated.”

Worcestershire County Council was announced as the silver award winner in front of an audience of 300 other social workers and representatives of the profession.

On the evening the chief social worker for adults, Lyn Romeo, delivered a key note speech. Meanwhile, both Norman Lamb, the minister of state for care and support, and Edward Timpson, the parliamentary under secretary of state for children and families, recorded video testimonials.

The ceremony was organised by the Social Work Awards Ltd, a registered charity, with the sole aim of improving the understanding and reputation of the profession.