Celebrating our newly qualified Social Workers

Teams from across Optalis Adult Services joined together at Maidenhead Town Hall on Thursday 27th July to catch up with each other and celebrate their newly qualified colleagues. A wide range of professionals including Social Workers, Social Care Practitioners, Occupational Therapists, as well as colleagues from Commissioning, Care Quality and Brokerage attended the event.

Sara Ross, Assistant Director for Mental Health and Learning Disabilities, started proceedings by acknowledging three of the service’s unsung heroes. Di Lindsay, Mary Worth and Saiqa Ali were each gifted a lovely bouquet of flowers, by way of thanks for the invaluable administrative support they provide to Adult Services.

Kevin McDaniel, Executive Director of Adult Services and Health (DASS) shared a note from Helen Sargent Dar, Director of Statutory Services. Helen was unable to make the event but wanted to give congratulations to Andrew, Stephanie, Helen, Elfreda and Katie for passing their ASYE (Assessed and Supported Year in Employment). Helen gave recognition for the hard work and dedication they put in to achieving their qualification.

Kevin thanked the team for the difference they make and asked that they continue to do right by the families of the borough, by putting the right support in place. Kevin committed to working to ensure they have the resources they need to enable them to do so.

Teams were asked to design a poster that represents their work in social care, to describe their role to the wider service and celebrate achievements. Representatives from teams including the Locality Access Point, Home First and Community Mental Health Team displayed their poster and answered questions from team members from other parts of Adult Services.

It provided a great opportunity to get to know one another a little better in a relaxed setting and to hear about the innovations and changing approaches colleagues are using to improve social services for all. Colleagues who attended fed back ……

‘I have always wondered exactly what AMHPs (Approved Mental Health Practitioners) do, and now I know which will help me in my work with recognising when a referral might be needed’

‘Great session of sharing’

‘Thanks for getting us all together’

‘Its been great to get a better understanding of what other teams do’