Wigan social care manager dubbed rising star

Rebecca Sutton, who is the principal social worker at the local authority, has been shortlisted as one of the country’s rising stars in the Local Government Chronicle’s Awards 2022.

She was nominated for her passion and devotion to improving social care practice in the service which helps keep hundreds of at risk children safe and cared for.

Examples of her devotion to the job include her commitment to improving training and professional development for staff and in helping to recruit and retain social workers in the authority.

She is also highly valued for the trust and loyalty she has built with colleagues and the championing of students and newly qualified social workers to develop in their careers.

Rebecca said: “I feel honoured to have been nominated and shortlisted for a national award.

“While it might be an individual nomination everything I do, is done as part of a team. People can only shine when they’re surrounded by good people and I’m fortunate to be part of Team Wigan.”

The council’s children’s services was also shortlisted in the Innovation category.

The work has seen 50 new and experienced social workers recruited and reduced turnover by 55 per cent.

The transformation work radically changed traditional recruitment processes, created new recruitment campaigns and induction processes and introduced a new Senior Social Worker role as well as a leadership programme.

And the council is the running for the Campaign of the Year category for its Love Is Not Abuse campaign to help raise awareness of domestic abuse in the borough.

The campaign was conceived, designed and delivered by the council’s in-house marketing team in partnership with victims of domestic abuse in the borough and partner agencies. In a year it has resulted in a 72 per cent increase in calls to the council’s domestic abuse hotline.

Coun David Molyneux, Leader of Wigan Council, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been shortlisted three times in this year’s LGC Awards.

“It is particularly pleasing to see the hard work that has been committed to delivering improved services in our children’s directorate is being nationally recognised.”

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