Caring for Care Awards 2026
Join us as we celebrate the incredible individuals and teams making a difference across the Liverpool City Region.
Caring for Care Awards 2026
Join us as we celebrate the incredible individuals and teams making a difference across the Liverpool City Region.
The Caring for Care Awards is a distinguished event dedicated to recognising excellence, innovation, and outstanding contribution within the social care sector. It brings together professionals, organisations, and stakeholders from across the Liverpool City Region to celebrate those who demonstrate exceptional commitment to delivering high-quality, person-centred care.
The awards aim to highlight best practice, promote professional standards, and acknowledge the invaluable role of the social care workforce in supporting individuals and communities. Through a range of carefully selected categories, the event honours both emerging talent and experienced leaders who continue to shape and strengthen the sector.
Award Notes: https://www.lscpinfo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Notes-for-Nominations.pdf
Nominations is opened and will be Closed by 10 July 2026 (12:00 PM). You are encourage to use the Nomination button or download the physical form.
Download Physical form here: https://www.lscpinfo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Caring-for-Care-Awards-Nomination-Form.docx
Categories
The Caring for Care Awards recongnise excellence, dedication, and innovation across the social care sector. Each category is designed to celebrate individuals and teams who demonstrate outstanding commitment and make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
From emerging talent to experienced leaders, the awards highlight those who consistently deliver high-quality, person-centred care and contribute to the continued development of the sector.
What the Categories Represent
- Recognition of excellence in frontline care
- Celebration of leadership and teamwork
- Acknowledgement of innovation and improvement
- Appreciation of long-term dedication to the sector
Full details of each category, including eligibility criteria and nomination guidance, will be available when nominations open on 15 May.
- Cat 1. Best Newcomer to Social Care Work
- Cat 2. Social Care Worker of the Year – Employer Choice
- Cat 3. Social Care Worker of the Year – Service User Choice
- Cat 4. Care Leader of the Year
- Cat 5. Most Effective Team Award
- Cat 6. Hidden Light Award
- Cat 7. The Award for Digital or Care Innovation
- Cat 8. The Mikaela Williams-Brown Award for Lifetime Achievement in Social Care
Recognises individuals who are new to the sector and already demonstrating enthusiasm, compassion, and a strong commitment to learning.
Criteria:
- First role in social care
- In post for less than 9 months
- Shows eagerness to learn and develop
- Treats service users with dignity and respect
Celebrates a dependable and professional care worker who consistently delivers high-quality support.
Criteria:
- Reliable and consistent in their role
- Follows policies while using good judgement
- Demonstrates professional development
- Works effectively independently and within a team
Honours a care worker recognised by service users for their compassion, respect, and person-centred approach.
Criteria:
- Prioritises service users’ needs
- Listens and responds to individual preferences
- Builds trust through kindness and respect
- Approachable and dependable
Recognises outstanding leadership that inspires teams and ensures the delivery of high-quality care.
Criteria:
- Leads and motivates teams effectively
- Drives high standards of care delivery
- Works within any leadership role across the sector
- May still be involved in direct care
Celebrates teams that deliver excellent, person-centred care through collaboration and dedication.
Criteria:
- Minimum of 2 team members
- At least 50% frontline care staff
- Demonstrates teamwork and high-quality service delivery
- Improves or maintains service users’ wellbeing and independence
Shines a spotlight on individuals working behind the scenes who make a significant impact on care delivery.
Criteria:
- Not in a direct care role
- Supports care services (e.g. admin, maintenance, IT, volunteers)
- Makes a noticeable difference when absent
- Contributes to overall service effectiveness
Recognises innovation that improves care delivery, staff experience, or outcomes for service users.
Criteria:
- Introduced new systems, tools, or practices
- Demonstrates measurable positive impact
- Supports others in adopting changes
- Improves efficiency or quality of care
Honours individuals who have made a long-standing and exceptional contribution to the social care sector.
Criteria:
- Minimum of 20 years in social care
- Experience across multiple roles or settings
- Demonstrates sustained dedication and impact
- NHS experience must be in addition to social care service
Panel of Judges
Helen Scholefield
Helen has over 30 years of working within the social care sector, this has seen her develop from roles such as Residential Child Care Officer to Registered Manager and finally company director. She has worked within in both statutory and voluntary sectors around the country.
Helen’s specialist areas include the fields of Learning Disabilities and Mental Health. She has extensive experience within older people’s services and knowledge of and vocational practice within children’s services. Moving from residential services into community based services in the early 1980’s.
Helen’s directorship at LSCP has seen her contributing to the strategic development of the organisation and since 2013 she has been also operating as a trainer within the organisation.
Melanie Weatherley MBE
Melanie co-founded Walnut Care in 2002, now one of the largest domiciliary care providers in Lincolnshire, employing over 200 care professionals and providing 600,000 care visits annually.
A passionate advocate for the provision of home and community care, Melanie has been the Chair of Lincolnshire Care Association (LinCA) since 2016. LinCA represents a range of care providers, working with them to improve standards of care.
Melanie is also Co-Chair of the Care Association Alliance – a national body bringing together representatives of care associations to engage with the wider health and care system.
In 2020, Melanie received an MBE for her services to social care, honoured for helping set up the Care Home Trusted Assessor Scheme. In a national first, Melanie also led a scheme to train care workers to become nurse associates.
Mantosh Das Jack
Mantosh Das, known as Jack, began his career in hospitality in India before moving to the UK in 2011 and transitioning into social care. Starting as a care worker, he quickly developed his skills through continuous training, enabling him to provide high-quality, person-centred support.
Jack later joined the local authority as a Reablement Assistant and progressed into his current role as a Senior Independence and Reablement Practitioner with Liverpool City Council, where he now leads a team within the same service he once started in.
Alongside his role, Jack has also contributed as a trainer with Liverpool Social Care Partnership, supporting others to begin and grow their careers in the sector.
Passionate about care, Jack believes in delivering support with dignity, empathy, respect and values that continue to guide his work and inspire those around him.
Katie Thorn
Katie, Director of Innovation for the Digital Care Hub, champions digital solutions in social care and co-convenes the Oxford Project on Responsible AI in Adult Social Care: Oxford Project on the Responsible Use of Generative AI in Adult Social Care.
Her work ensures ethical and effective use of digital innovations. With a background in nursing homes and a decade in national digitisation programs, she focuses on front-line adult social care and NHS interoperability. A member of the UK Caldicott Guardian Council and academic advisory boards, Katie’s contributions have been recognised with The Woman in Tech award (2022) and the NHS England Award (2023).