The 10th Annual Children in Care Council Awards are nearly upon us – and it’s time to start nominating!
Previously hosted by Cumbria County Council in years gone by, the awards this year will be hosted by Westmorland and Furness Council and Cumberland Council after they replaced the county council in April of this year.
Nominations are now open and must be submitted before Monday 17 July.
Nominating someone is easy. Just select the category you want to nominate them in, then tell us why they deserve an award and what difference have they made. It's that simple.
How it all works
All children and young people who are looked after, foster carers and people that work with them are being invited to nominate in the Children in Care Council Awards.
A judging panel made up of children and young people will have the difficult (and enjoyable) job of sifting through the nominations and choosing the winners.
The Awards
This year there will be a new special award organised by the Virtual School team, this will replace our previous education awards but if you want to nominate for anything around education, please use our special achievement awards.
Super Special Award
If a child or young person prefers to draw a picture, they can enter a nomination into our ‘super special’ award which is for children who are looked after to nominate any adult who helps look after or care for them.
To nominate in this category please send the following details to liz.wright@cumberland.gov.uk:
- Your name
- The name of the person you want to nominate
- Draw a picture of that person
- In a few words tell us why they are super special
Foster carer of the year (approved carers only)
Foster carers do an amazing job working as part of the team of professionals who ensure fostered children receive the highest standards of care. They offer children who are looked after a safe and caring home and family for as long as they need it. We are looking for nominations for a carer who you think has gone above and beyond in their role.
Special Achievement Award - under/over 18 (with experience of being looked after)
Do you know a child or young person who has really stood out and inspired you? Maybe they've achieved something extraordinary, given children looked after a real voice, done great work for charity or something else that makes them special. This is about recognising that person who sets an example! This award will be split into two, with an award for those aged over 18 and an award for those under 18.
Worker of the year (nominated by child or young person)
This could be a social worker, family worker or any adult that works with children and young people who are looked after. We are looking for someone who is passionate about helping, listens, keeps you informed, involves you in decisions and goes the extra mile to make your life better. This year, there'll be two winners for this award - one from the Cumberland area, and one from Westmorland and Furness area.
Small but mighty achievement of the year (for child or young person with experience of being looked after)
We are looking for a child/young person who has achieved something of importance to them during the last year. It could be learning how to ride a bike, learning to swim - anything that is important to them.
Nominations are now open and must be submitted before the deadline on Monday 17 July 2023.
Save the date! The Awards will take place on Saturday 7 October 2023, we're keeping further details under wraps for now and will be sending out invites in late August. Our brilliant Children in Care Council will make this a day to remember!
Follow the Cumbria Fostering and Adoption Facebook page for regular updates as we build up to the Awards.