BASW applauds strong recognition of social work in New Years Honours

An array of individuals from social work, social care, and other services, including mental health, foster care, and social justice, have been celebrated for their extraordinary contributions and achievements in the 2026 New Year Honours List.

Services to Social Work is a noticeable standout in the list of accolades with six social workers, including two current BASW members, awarded Honours. Among those named are BASW members Dr Liz Davies for services to child protection and Dr Tanya Moore for services to social work.

BASW extends our warmest congratulations and best wishes to all who have been recognised for their public service. A selection has been highlighted below. Please get in touch if we have missed a recipient from the social work community.

Dr Elizabeth Janet DAVIES Social Worker, lately Child Protection Manager and Trainer, Harrow Social Services, and Founder and lately Coordinator, Islington Survivors Network. For services to Child Protection (London, Greater London)
Gail FAULKNER Head Consultant, Leeds Relational Practice Centre, Leeds City Council. For services to Children's Social Work Service (Pontefract, West Yorkshire)
Dr Tanya MOORE Principal Social Worker, Essex County Council. For services to Social Work (St Albans, Hertfordshire)
Sheena HARRISON Duty Social Worker, North-East Wales Foster Care Services. For services to Young People in Foster Care (Clwyd)
Claire BURGESS Social Worker and Children's Social Care Adviser and Children's Improvement Adviser, Local Government Association. For services to Children's Social Care (Pershore, Worcestershire)
Marion Anne STOKER Director of Children and Family Services, Enfield Council. For services to Social Work (London, Greater London)
Julie FIRTH Director of Children's Services, North Tyneside Council, Tyne and Wear. For services to Children, Families and Young People (Bishop Auckland, County Durham)
Kathleen MURRAY For services to Children's Hearings in Scotland (Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire)
Shazia HUSSAIN Director of Children's Social Care, Department for Education. For services to Children and Families (London, Greater London)
Professor Oonagh SMYTH Chief Executive Officer, Skills for Care. For services to Adult Social Care (London, Greater London)
Anna Gretchen SELBY Executive Director of Quality, HC-One. For services to Adult Social Care (Buckingham, Buckinghamshire)
Jason Richard BENNETT All Wales Heads of Adults' Services Group, Vale of Glamorgan Council, Association of Directors of Social Services Cymru. For services to Social Care (Caerphilly, Gwent)
Anne Elizabeth FAIRHURST Executive Lead Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, Hampshire County Council. For services to Adult Social Care (Havant, Hampshire)
Suzanne Celia GRIFFITHS Director, National Adoption Service and Foster Wales. For services to Children's Social Care (Cardiff, South Glamorgan)
Susan Elizabeth WATSON Home Manager, Pytchley Court Care Home. For services to Adult Social Care (Northampton, Northamptonshire)
Yvonne CARSON Health and Wellbeing Manager, Northern Health and Social Care Trust. For services to Tackling Loneliness (Ballymena, County Antrim)
Alison Jayne IRWIN Lately Head of Equality, Northern Health and Social Care Trust. For services to Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland (Portstewart, County Antrim)
David COOK & Susan COOK Foster Carers, St Helens Borough Council, St Helens, Merseyside. For services to Foster Care (St. Helens, Merseyside)
Reginald Kenneth EAST Foster Carer, Hertfordshire Council, Hertfordshire. For services to Foster Care (Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire)
Ruth IVE Foster Carer, Fostering North Yorkshire, North Yorkshire Council. For services to Foster Care (Carnforth, North Yorkshire)
Esther Mary Eleanor WILSON Foster Carer. For services to Foster Care (Llandrindod Wells, Powys)
Fatima AHMAD Foster Carer, Kirklees Council. For services to Foster Care (Huddersfield, West Yorkshire)
Margaret CLARKE Foster Carer. For services to Foster Care (Crewe, Cheshire)
Sandra CROWDER Foster Carer. For services to Adoption and Foster Care (Coventry, West Midlands)
Louise Marie GOUGH Founder, Bright Sparks SCIO, Bonnyrigg, Midlothian. For services to Foster Care (Lasswade, Midlothian)
Jacqueline LOWE & Norman LOWE Foster Carers, St Helens Borough Council, St Helens, Merseyside. For services to Foster Care (Wigan, Greater Manchester)
Amy Natasha WATSON & Ross William WATSON Foster Carers, Bedfordshire Council, Bedfordshire. For services to Foster Care (Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire)
Jane WHEELER Assistant Director, Family Help, Prevention and Youth Justice, Cumberland Council. For services to Children and Families (Sunderland, Tyne and Wear)
Dr Carol Ann HOMDEN CBE Chief Executive, Thomas Coram Foundation for Children. For services to Children and Families (London, Greater London)
Celine SINCLAIR Chief Executive, The Yard. For services to Children and Families (Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh)
Paula JENNINGS For services to Adults with Learning Difficulties in Northern Ireland (Belfast, County Borough of Belfast)
Tracy ROWLAND Founder, Ready Steady Go, Monmouthshire. For services to Children and Young Adults with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (Caldicot, Gwent)
Zelda Luna Nico Rabaud PERKINS Founder, Can't Buy My Silence. For services to Social Justice (Salisbury, Wiltshire)
Sarah Gwendoline BERESFORD Associate, Prison Reform Trust. For services to Children with Parents in the Criminal Justice System (Liverpool, Merseyside)
Sarah Lilian ANDERSON CBE Founder and Trustee, The Listening Place. For services to Mental Health and to Suicide Prevention (to be dated 5 December 2025) (London, Greater London)
Jennifer Isobella RAYNER Founder and Chief Executive, The Lucy Rayner Foundation. For services to Mental Health (Reigate, Surrey)
Julie DENLEY Director of Primary, Community and Mental Health Services, Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board. For services to Mental Health Services (Caerphilly, Gwent)
Angela Frances STEVENSON For services to Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Support in Northeast England (Wallsend, Tyne and Wear)