Hull City Council has won the new Digital Transformation in Social Work Award at this year’s national Social Work Awards.
The award highlights Hull’s young people-led work on listening to children who are looked after, and responding to their voices and priorities creatively, using digital technology.
The award focused on a young people-led animated film called Dream On, following a survey delivered by Young Voices Influencing Care, and involving 231 children aged 4 to 17 who have been in care. The children gave feedback on their experiences and this formed the basis of the animation, produced by My Pockets and narrated by a child who is looked after. The film describes the feelings of a child waking up ‘in care’, and the young people have woven in key messages throughout, such as the enduring importance of connections with friends and family.
A podcast was also part of the digital transformation, which describes how it feels for children when there is a change of social worker. The podcast is now used in training for children’s social workers.
The annual Social Work Awards that recognises inspirational social work stated: “The digital transformation delivered by Hull is moving, uplifting, and most importantly, it has the voices of children front and centre.”
Pauline Turner, Director of children’s services said: “Our children’s experiences inspire and drive us to deliver better services every day.”
Councillor Linda Tock, Portfolio Holder for children’s services said: “The imaginative use of technology is helping us to ensure that the messages from our children, about what matters most to them, is having a wide internal and external reach, and is helping to drive improvement.
“The most significant aspect of both the podcast and the exceptional animated film is that they are the voices of our children speaking directly to us all, and reminding us of what is most important to them.
“Congratulations to everyone involved, both social workers and the young people, who have worked together to deliver innovative ways of improving the lives of our children.”
Dream On animation created with young people from Hull Young Voices Influencing Care, produced by My Pockets –
