Tracie Collins has won a silver award for Team Leader of the Year for Children’s Services, at the Social Worker of the Year Awards held at the Lancaster London Hotel last month.

Tracie is studying part-time for an MA in Applied Social Work: Leadership and Management course while at the same time working as a Practice Manager with the Family Support Team for Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC).

She was nominated for the award for in recognition of her work in developing students and newly qualified social workers and is a key contributor to Central Bedfordshire Council’s engagement with the Department for Education, Step Up to Social Work initiative.

Tracie said about her win: “I was earnestly grateful for the recognition I received for my work, because I am very sure that every other nominee for this award was capable of winning. 

“I entered social work with the desire to affect positive change for children, young people and their families.  Leading a team is not done in isolation and it is the inspiration I have received from my seniors, my colleagues, my staff and my students for whom I have the deepest respect, and from whom I have derived the strength to challenge myself and perform better at each stage.

“I am passionate about being part of, and influencing social work in a way that fits. I am grateful for this milestone which indicates that I am doing a good job.”

Tracie originally graduated from the University in 2007 with a BA (Hons) Social Work. She also has successfully completed the Post-Qualifying Graduate Diploma in Specialist Social Work (Children, Young People, their Families and Carers). 

Amanda Thorpe Head of Social Work at the University said: “Tracie is just the sort of Social Worker we try to encourage our students to become.

“She is generous with her knowledge and ensures that her work is informed by current research. The fact that she continues to develop her professional knowledge, now undertaking her post qualifying Masters degree, is testament to that.”

Ray Halford, Learning and Development Manager, Academy of Social Work and Intervention, a joint initiative between the University and CBC, who nominated Tracey for her leadership role said: “Tracie has a fantastic track record of supporting students and developing social workers through to first line management positions. The phrase ‘role model’ is a term I often hear used when describing Tracie by students, newly qualified social workers, those who aspire to management and partners alike.”

Tracie’s win follows on from fellow University of Bedfordshire graduate David Thomas who won the Practice Teacher of the Year category in the 2014 Social Worker of the Year Awards