Frontline Award for CSW of the Year

A new award for 2025 celebrating our amazing consultant social workers.

This award recognises a consultant social worker who has gone above and beyond in their role and who has excelled in their ability to teach, manage and develop participants on Approach Social Work.

Winners are chosen by Frontline’s judging panel from the 100+ consultant social workers who have worked with the 2024 cohort of Approach Social Work.

Shortlisted nominees have demonstrated:

• Excellent practice education skills – including high quality reports and developmental feedback
• The ability to link to key practice areas
• A high level of pastoral care – building a strong hub culture and identity
• And are able to model good social work practice and advocate for Approach Social Work

2025 shortlist

Anthony 

Anthony has been an incredible CSW over the last three years, investing in participant development and adapting to their different learning needs. His key strength lies is applying systemic ideas and reflective practice to his role. Anthony consistently receives positive feedback on his work and applies the different Frontline models with ease.

Ben – Runner up, South

Ben is a practitioner who embodies systemic practice and who has excelled in the CSW role over the last three years. He always goes the extra mile in his teaching, supporting participants to go onto become confident and empathetic social workers. Ben knows how to create a safe learning environment, supporting his participants to have difficult conversations and challenging them to think differently.

Jemma

Jemma is a compassionate and experienced CSW who has been in the role for several years. She is a CSW representative alongside her busy role, has embraced programme changes with enthusiasm and is able to manage any challenges with grace. Jemma has successfully supported many participants to complete the programme, encouraging them to become child friendly social workers.

Jess – Runner up, North

Jess has been a CSW for the last four years, showing great commitment to the role. She is supportive, detail orientated and great at building trusting relationships with her hubs. Jess is passionate about anti-oppressive practice, this standing out in the work she and her participants have done with care experience young people and fathers.

Laura

Laura is relatively new to the CSW role; however, it is already clear that she is a brilliant role model, always keeping children and young people at the heart of all decision making. She has built a fantastic team culture of respectful challenge and openness within her hub. Laura shows strong reflective skills, is open to feedback and is always looking for ways to develop as a leader.

Naomi – Winner, North

Naomi is an experienced CSW, having been in the role for the last four years. Her work is always to a high quality, offering excellent developmental feedback to her participants with clear examples of how practice can be improved. Naomi is an advocate for anti-oppressive practice and has been persistent and creative in her work to ensure anti-racist practice is a focus area for her hub and the wider local authority.

Rachel – Winner, South

Rachel’s passion for practice education has made a huge impact on participants, colleagues and children and families over the last three years. As the first CSW at her local authority she has taken a leadership role in setting up three new hubs, sharing best practice with other CSWs. Rachel creates a nurturing environment for participants where there is high support and high challenge, expecting the best from participants to achieve the best for families.

Vanlee

Vanlee is committed to her role as a CSW and is currently working with her third cohort on Approach Social Work. She has developed a strong relationship with her hub and is particularly skilled at supporting participants to apply theory to their practice with children and families. Vanlee continues to grow as a CSW, bringing her whole self to the role, and this is demonstrated in the work she and her participants deliver.