CYP Now 2018 Award winners unveiled

The awards ceremony took place at the Hurlingham Club in Fulham, west London.

This was the year in which schools truly entered the limelight, underlying their importance at the heart of communities and children's wellbeing.

Kirton Primary School in Lincolnshire emerged triumphant in two categories - the Learning Award, and the Advice and Guidance Award - for its Learn and Earn initiative to get children engaged in maths through an understanding of money. The school is now in the top two per cent of schools in England for progress in mathematics.

In addition, Queen's Park Primary School in London won the Mental Health and Wellbeing Award while Park Community School in Hampshire secured the Family Support Award for its MUNCH Community Food Project.

Elsewhere, Leeds City Council scooped two accolades: the Play Award for its Play Streets initiative; and the Recruitment and Professional Development Award for its social work career pathway.

Other winners included Children England chief executive Kathy Evans, who was awarded Children and Young People's Champion; The Children's Sleep Charity, which won the Charity award category; The Lowry, which picked up the Youth Work award for its Youth Employability and Skills programme; and Cambridgeshire County Council's NCS SEND Summer programme, which won the National Citizen Service Award.

Delivering the opening address, CYP Now Editor-in-chief Ravi Chandiramani said: "Just five days ago the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty delivered a devastating verdict after his fact-finding mission across the UK. He found levels of child poverty in 21st Century Britain to be ‘not just a disgrace, but a social calamity and an economic disaster'.

"It was noted how massive cuts to council funding and big rises in demand for social care had led to the closure of libraries, parks and youth clubs.

"However, against this backdrop you've all shown your enthusiasm for these awards like never before. In the face of this perfect storm, the 2018 CYP Now Awards managed to attract a record number of entries, so the drive for recognition, shared pride and shared learning appears stronger than ever."

TV presenter Zoe Salmon compered the evening while Alan Dedicoat, who is the "Voice of the Balls" on the National Lottery and voice of Strictly Come Dancing, was on announcing duties for all the finalists.

The West London Free School provided the evening's entertainment.

As well as the 23 category winners, 10 ‘High Commendations' were awarded.

THE EARLY YEARS AWARD ?
Winner: Fit ‘N' Fun Kids - Young Mums Will Achieve
Highly Commended: Solihull Council Engage Team - Family Plus for Under-Fives

?PLAY AWARD??
Winner: Leeds City Council - Play Streets

?YOUTH WORK AWARD sponsored by National Youth Agency?
Winner: The Lowry - Youth Employability and Skills programme
Highly Commended: Silx Youth Project - Teen Bar, Employability Project, and Detached Team??

YOUTH VOLUNTEERING AND SOCIAL ACTION AWARD sponsored by Ingeus?

Winner: The Diana Award

?LEARNING AWARD
??Winner: Kirton Primary School, Lincolnshire - Learn and Earn

??ARTS AND CULTURE AWARD ??
Winner: Worldwrite - Worldbytes
?
ADVICE AND GUIDANCE AWARD ?
Winner: Kirton Primary School, Lincolnshire - Learn and Earn
?
YOUNG CARERS AWARD ?
Winner: Carers Bucks - Same Chances
Highly Commended: The Lowry Trust - Who Cares

??LEAVING CARE AWARD??
Winner: MCR Pathways

?MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING AWARD ?sponsored by CCMH
?Winner: Queen's Park Primary School and Westminster Children's University
Highly Commended: London Borough of Newham - Newham HeadStart
?
EARLY INTERVENTION AWARD?
Winner: The Bridge (East Midlands) Young People's Service
Highly Commended: Safer London - Harmful Sexual Behaviour Programme

NATIONAL CITIZEN SERVICE AWARD
Winner: Cambridgeshire County Council - NCS SEND Summer Programme

?PSHE EDUCATION AWARD
Winner: Solace Women's Aid - Hear2Change

?CHILDREN IN CARE AWARD sponsored by Halliwell??
Winner: Sheffield Children in Care Council - The Placement Game
Highly Commended: The Fostering Network - The Mockingbird Programme

?YOUTH JUSTICE AWARD
Winner: Howard League for Penal Reform - Programme to end the criminalisation of children in care
Highly Commended: Fluence: The Communicate Project??

FAMILY SUPPORT AWARD??
Winner: Park Community School, Hampshire - MUNCH Community Food Project

?SAFEGUARDING AWARD
Winner: The Children's Society - Greater Manchester Missing Service??

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE'S CHAMPION??
Winner: Kathy Evans, Chief Executive, Children England

?CHILDREN'S ACHIEVEMENT AWARD ??
Winner: Mia Thorne, campaigner for children in Wales with disabilities??

PARTNERSHIP WORKING AWARD??
Winner: Islington Integrated Gang Team
Highly Commended: The Children's Society - Pause mental health drop-in facility
Highly Commended: MCR Pathways and Glasgow City Council

?RECRUITMENT AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARD? supported by CYP Now Jobs
Winner: Leeds City Council - Social work career pathway
?
PUBLIC SECTOR TEAM AWARD??
Winner: Coventry City Council - Coventry Family Drug and Alcohol Court

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE'S CHARITY AWARD sponsored by Unity Insurance Services
??Winner: The Children's Sleep Charity
Highly Commended: Nelson's Journey