Hannah Barnes & Rebecca Stephens receive awards at the 'Social Worker of the Year Awards 2024'

At the Social Worker of the Year Awards held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London, on Friday 8 November, Hannah Barnes, third-year Sussex Social Work BA student, was awarded the Silver Award for ‘Student Social Worker of the Year’.

Speaking of her award, Hannah said:

"Since joining Sussex, I have been surrounded by such a team of incredible people — the kind who push us, challenge us, and make us laugh when we need it most. I’ve been lucky enough to meet some of the kindest, smartest, and most genuine friends in my cohort, who inspire me so much. The lecturers in the School of Education and Social Work have genuinely cared about our success, and gone above and beyond to help and support me through this journey. If I can ever be half as inspiring and dedicated as they are, I’ll be chuffed!

Somehow, I’ve reached my third year and I am now in my second placement. I feel so fortunate to be surrounded by experts who are highly skilled, compassionate and true advocates for the people they are working with. It is evident that the Department of Social Work & Social Care is full of people who truly care, and the professionals I've met so far are nothing short of truly amazing.

I can’t quite put into words how much this award means to me, but I know that I owe every bit of it to the incredible people I’ve mentioned above. Thank you for making this experience unforgettable."

Senior Social Work Lecturer, Rebecca Stephens, who was nominated for a Social Work University Lecturer of the Year award, received a commendation certificate as a finalist.

Rebecca said:

“This event was a fantastic celebration of both individual achievements and our profession as a whole. The work that social workers do is not always recognised positively in the public eye, so this was a great opportunity to acknowledge and validate the incredible contributions we all make within the field.”

In an evening in which Sussex was strongly represented, it was also wonderful to see Anna Bouch, Social Work Manager and Professional Education Consultant for Brighton & Hove City Council, scoop the Gold Award for ‘Practitioner-Led Researcher of the Year.’ Sussex has strong links with Anna and her team through their historical and current support of numerous Sussex social work students on placement.

Congratulations to all these worthy winners!