On the 17th May, we hosted the 8th annual CareTech Care Awards, a fantastic celebration of the incredible work our staff do to help support and enhance the lives of those in our care.

As voted for by their colleagues, we were honoured to host 114 nominees from across our Adults, Children’s, Fostering and Specialist divisions and celebrate their valuable contributions that help provide extraordinary days every day for those in our services.

Each winner was put forward towards an Overall National Winner category who will not only received two shiny trophies to take home, but they will also have the unique opportunity to join the CareTech Foundation‘s Board of Trustees for 12 months. This coveted role supports The Foundation in delivering its charitable purposes in making meaningful impact and helping champion the social care sector nationwide.

National Overall Winner 2023

We are thrilled to announce that the overall national winner of the prestigious CareTech Care Awards 2023 is Victoria Bouamama, Registered Manager of Oakwood House! 🏆💫

Victoria’s exceptional leadership, innovation, and unwavering commitment have left an indelible mark on the lives of the individuals she supports. Under her guidance, Oakwood House, a service provided by Coveberry, one of our subsidiaries, has experienced a remarkable transformation, thanks to the implementation of person-centred PBS and a dedicated and educated staff team.

The positive results speak volumes – the lives of the tenants have improved dramatically, and the service stands as a shining example of outstanding care and support. Victoria’s relentless dedication and hard work have truly paid off!

Presented by Haroon Sheikh, Hamza Sheikh & Aleena Sheikh.

CareTech Care Awards 2023: The Winners

See the full list of Award categories and winners below:

Foster Carer of the Year: Gillian Tiley

Presented by Jeremy Wiles & Patricia Jarrett. Accepted by Jean Smith, Head of Service.

Gillian is a foster carer for FSG in London. Nominated by Shelleyne Munroe, Practice Manager, Gillian is a competent, confident, and empathetic foster carer who manages the unexpected and all the uncertainties involved in caring for traumatised children to a high degree.

She consistently demonstrates her commitment to prioritising the children’s needs above her own and is always willing to go the extra mile to ensure their wellbeing. Gillian truly embodies the qualities of an outstanding foster carer and is a deserving winner of the Foster Carer of the Year award.

 

Support Worker of the Year: Gemma Kelso

Presented by Nasir Quraishi & Phil Caldwell. Accepted by Michelle Williams-Cawley, Locality Manager.

Gemma is an instructor from the Martello Learning Skills Centre in Kent and has made an indelible mark on the lives of the people she supports at the Centre, particularly Maizy – a service user, who nominated her for this award.

Maizy has been attending the Centre for four years and during this time, Gemma has shown her kindness, positivity, and an unwavering commitment to her duties. She goes above and beyond to bring fun and enjoyment to the sessions, making sure that everyone is included, no matter their ability, language, mobility, or level of understanding. She has even gone out of her way to learn Makaton outside of work to help the people she supports to better communicate.

Gemma is a beacon of joy, fun, and kindness to all those around her. She is a true inspiration, and we are privileged to recognise her as the Support Worker of the Year.

 

Senior Support Worker of the Year: Catherine King

Presented by Nasir Quraishi & Wahid Cockar. Accepted by Mohammed Faisel, Area Manager.

Catherine is an exceptional team player, working tirelessly to build a strong and stable team. As a result of Catherine’s leadership, her colleagues have provided positive feedback about her professionalism, approachability, and support to her team.

Catherine’s kind and compassionate nature has won over both her colleagues and the people she supports, who admire her and feel happy and reassured when she is around. She sets an excellent example and is a role model for her staff team.

 

Team of the Year: Yewdale Farm Team

Presented by Nasir Quraishi & Sean King.

This incredible group of individuals have truly earned this recognition through their unwavering dedication to person-centred care and support for their service users.

They work together seamlessly, with a mix of nationalities and cultures that only adds to their strength and cohesion. The Yewdale Farm Team is also incredibly resilient, positive, and committed to creating a positive work environment for themselves and the people they support. They tackle challenges head-on, never shying away from a problem and always finding a way to solve it. And through it all, they support one another like family.

 

Award for Excellence in Office Operations: Amanda Panek

Presented by Nasir Quraishi & Rob McAfee.

This award recognises the hard work and dedication of an individual who has gone above and beyond to ensure that services are fully supported.

Amanda Panek, was nominated by her colleague, Lyn Gloster-Beecroft, Deputy Manager. Lyn commented that Amanda is a caring and thoughtful person who is always willing to offer her support where she can. With her knowledge and skills gained over the years working with CareTech, Amanda has become an expert in her field, and she is always willing to share her expertise with her colleagues.

Her dedication and attention to detail have made her an invaluable asset to her team, and we are delighted to recognise her achievements today.

 

Outstanding Achievement of the Year: Corrin Martin & Craig Young

Presented by Jeremy Wiles & Shokat Akbar.

Corrin Martin and Craig Young, who work at The Millhouse, Cambian East Residential. These two remarkable colleagues were nominated by James Doran, the Registered Manager and Nikki Smith, the mother of a young person they support, for their exceptional efforts in supporting a young man with Autism to attend his auntie’s wedding in Cyprus.

Corrin and Craig worked tirelessly with the family, regional management, and local authorities to ensure that there was safe staffing and finance in place. Covid-19 brought with it new testing regimes and logistical challenges, and Corrin and Craig adapted quickly, reassuring the young man with person-centred strategies that catered to his needs. Corrin and Craig went above and beyond, throwing themselves into the occasion and enabling the young man and his family to celebrate without worry.

Nikki Smith, the mother of the young person, described Corrin and Craig as extended family and expressed her gratitude for their support, which allowed them to make memories together. Their exceptional commitment to their work and the young person they support is a true testament to their dedication and professionalism.

 

Manager of the Year: Victoria Bouamama

Presented by Nasir Quraishi & Barry Swire.

Victoria’s nomination for this prestigious award was made by Lisa Stafford, Operations Director, who recognised Victoria’s remarkable achievements over the past year.

Since becoming the Registered Manager at Oakwood, Victoria threw herself into improving the quality of life of the individuals living at Oakwood.

Her hard work paid off, and the results speak for themselves. The tenants’ lives have improved dramatically, and they now frequently access the community for activities of their choice and socialise together at Oakwood in group social activities. The service has a strong, consistent staff group and the care and support they provide under Victoria’s leadership is outstanding.

Victoria’s inspirational leadership has earned her high praise from families, external professionals, staff, and tenants alike.

 

Long Service Award: Roslyn McGuire

Presented by Nasir Quraishi & Mike Ore. Accepted by Andrea Fisher, Locality Manager.

Ros has been with the company for an impressive 23 years and has held her current position of Registered Manager of Trabel House in Huddersfield with utmost professionalism and grace.

Throughout her tenure, Ros has exemplified what it means to be a great manager. Ros sets the standard for work ethic and creates a culture that everyone aspires to meet. She treats all of her colleagues with honesty, openness, and fairness and is highly valued and appreciated by everyone who works with her.

Her colleagues consider her the “pioneer” of Locality 3, and her calm, cool, and professional demeanour while juggling various tasks is nothing short of admirable.

Ros is also an ambassador for the organisation’s values and behaviour, and is a much sought-after mentor. Her dedication to delivering excellence, achieving ambitious goals, and fostering collaboration are unparalleled, and she always approaches her work with compassionate care for those she serves.

 

Head of Service of the Year: Nigel Taylor

Presented by Nasir Quraishi.

The winner of the Head of Service of the Year Award: Nigel Taylor, Group Head of Learning and Development for CareTech.

Nigel has been a longstanding member of CareTech and his council, guidance, and understanding of the business have been invaluable in helping his colleagues understand and build learning and development programmes for CareTech.

Nigel has been instrumental in raising the profile of CareTech with external stakeholders and committees, highlighting the need for change and recognition of people working in social care.

His work does not go unnoticed. Recently, Nigel was honoured with an invitation to attend the Coronation Garden Party held at Buckingham Palace.

 

Therapist of the Year: Sue Gascoyne

Presented by Jeremy Wiles & Lorna Fearon.

The winner of the Therapist of the Year award is Sue Gascoyne, a Mental Health Practitioner based at The Brambles in Essex. Nominated by Homes Manager Melissa Keeling, Sue has been recognised for her exceptional dedication to meeting the emotional and mental health needs of the children she supports.

Over the past year, Sue has created a warm and inviting therapy space for the children, enabling them to explore and work through their individual traumas, resulting in significant progress in their emotional and intellectual development.

Sue’s commitment to the staff team at The Brambles is equally impressive, leading training and supplying resources to improve best practice with the children. Sue is truly deserving of this award, and we are honoured to have her as part of our community of mental health practitioners.

 

Educator of the Year: Scott Amos

Presented by Hamza Sheikh & Nigel Taylor.

As the head of CareTech’s Leadership and Management Academy, Scott has demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment to the development of our company’s culture and values.

The impact that Scott and his team have made in supporting our leadership and management academy has been outstanding. They have successfully embedded CareTech’s values into our workplace cultures, creating a positive and supportive environment that benefits everyone.

Scott’s achievements in his first year of tenure are a testament to his hard work, dedication, and expertise in the field of group leadership and management development. Nigel Taylor, our Group Head of Learning and Development, nominated him for this award, and we can all see why.

 

Apprentice of the Year: Shauna Lund

Presented by Jeremy Wiles & Chris Dickinson. Accepted by Jarlath O’Brien, Regional Education Lead.

This award recognises the outstanding achievements of individuals who have excelled in their learning and development while also making significant contributions to their workplace.

This year’s winner is Shauna Lund, a Learning Support Worker at GHS who was nominated by Sandra Cherry, RQF Assessor & IQA.

Shauna’s commitment to achieving the Level 3 Diploma Residential Childcare Award in just seven months has translated into exceptional practice, as evidenced by her ability to build positive relationships with the young people in her care. She actively listens to their views and acts on them, providing them with advice, guidance, and unlimited opportunities to thrive. As a result, Shauna’s work has had a profound impact on the lives of those in her care.

 

School/Learning Centre of the Year: Cambian Somerset School

Presented by Jeremy Wiles & Chris Strong.

This award recognises the outstanding achievements of the school in the past year, and I can tell you that the competition was fierce.

The hard work and dedication of everyone in the school over the last year has paid off, from the teaching and support staff to the parents and carers, to the external partnerships. And of course, we cannot forget the children themselves, who have worked tirelessly to help Somerset School reach new heights of excellence.

Don’t just take my word for it, though. The school has received glowing praise from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate, who visited in March and had this to say: “Pupils blossom at this caring and happy school. Staff nurture pupils well and pupils feel valued and safe. There are positive relationships between staff and pupils. Pupils learn to value their education because staff help them experience success.”

And if that weren’t enough, Somerset School has also been recognised by the prestigious international Autism charity with Anna Kennedy OBE, winning the Autism Hero award for Outstanding Education. This is a testament to the commitment and dedication of everyone associated with the school.

 

The Michael Hill Charitable Community Awards: Kathy Swannell

Presented by Nasir Quraishi & Bill Tahir.

Kathy’s passion for fundraising for S.A.N.D.S., a charity which supports anyone affected by the death of a baby, is inspiring.

Kathy and her husband have organised charity discos to raise funds for the Gossett special baby care unit for equipment, training, and support for families. Kathy also helped to decorate and refurnish the parent bereavement rooms in local hospitals around Northampton. She played a key role in developing a memorial garden in Northampton, and organised summer picnics, balloon releases, and Christmas services for families.

In addition to her tireless fundraising efforts, Kathy also committed her own time to train to become a loss befriender over weekends, supporting newly bereaved families. She chairs a monthly support meeting across Northampton and supports a father’s group once a month. She even fundraises for the SANDS United football league.

Kathy’s work with S.A.N.D.S. has had a profound impact on the lives of countless families in Northampton and beyond. Her unwavering dedication to supporting those who have suffered the loss of a child is an inspiration to us all. It is with great pleasure that we recognise Kathy’s outstanding contributions with The Michael Hill Charitable Award.