Double winner at the Social Worker of the Year Awards 2022
Wednesday, 9 November 2022
On Friday 4 November 2022, Kirstie Baughan, who works for Central Bedfordshire Council’s Children’s Services team was crowned a winner not once, but twice at a national awards ceremony.
Kirstie won the Social Justice Advocate Gold Award and Overall Social Worker of the Year 2022.
Recognising inspirational social work, the Social Worker of the Year Awards is the only major national awards event for social work in England, attracting hundreds of entries every year and reaching millions of people with positive stories of outstanding social work, creative and compassionate practitioners and outstanding practice. Following three years of virtual events, the Social Worker of the Year Awards returned as an in-person ceremony last week in London.
Kirstie Baughan, who has been working here for eight years, won the Social Justice Advocate Award for her work specifically on promoting justice and raising awareness for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and young people. She has been dedicated to supporting the well-being of asylum seekers locally and nationally and is now undertaking further research to consider how we can improve the integration experiences of unaccompanied children in Bedfordshire and beyond.
Councillor Sue Clark, Executive Member for Families, Education and Children at Central Bedfordshire Council, said:
I am absolutely delighted for Kirstie. What a fantastic achievement! It is wonderful for Kirstie and for the whole Children's Services Team here at Central Bedfordshire to have Kirstie's outstanding social work recognised in this way.
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