Every day, an army of people go to work helping the most vulnerable people in our society. Help us to celebrate their amazing work, say well done and thank you!
Here is a recording of our webinar How to write an outstanding nomination for the 2026 Care Awards.
Who Can Make Nominations?
- If you receive care, tell us about your carer(s) and the difference they make to your life. We know that care needs impact the whole family so nominations from family members are welcome.
- If a relative of yours receives care, tell us about the staff or team who provides them with that care or the care organisation which employs them. Tell us how well they support your loved one and talk with you about how they welcome your ideas on how they can care for your relative.
- If you give care tell us about the colleagues, you most admire; tell us about the manager/leader who really motivates you; tell us about your service and what a great place they are to work at.
- If you are a care manager or an owner, tell us about the staff members who’ve made you proud this year; tell us about the projects they’ve done that made a difference; tell us about the achievements your staff have made.
- If you are a visiting professional (GP or District Nurse, Social Worker for example) tell us about how well, you see your patient/client being cared for and maybe pick out a particular member of staff or manager/leader for praise.
- If you are a member of the public connected to social care (unpaid carer or volunteer for example) and know an individual or group of people who go above and beyond to give back to the community and deserve recognition.
- Basically… anyone can make a nomination; you can even nominate yourself!
Who can be Nominated?
- Providing great care is a team effort and we’ve tried to make sure that our categories cover as many roles as possible! You can download the list of categories here.
How do I Make a Nomination?
- Preferably, complete our online nomination form, or you can download a nomination form and return to us by email to Administrator@espic.co.uk; or, by post to: FAO: Care Awards Administrator, Oakdown House, Burwash Common, Burwash, Etchingham TN19 7JR
- Decide what category of award you want to nominate for. Think very carefully about how you can describe your nominee so that the judges are really impressed! To help, you can use our list of outstanding behaviours and attributes example ideas listed below, or see the “made a difference” ideas list on page 5, which will help make the judges notice your nominee.
- Plan what you want to say before you start! We’ve put a few tips together below to help you make your nominee stand out.
- There are a few rules to help keep the process fair and also to help the judges so please read this carefully before completing your nomination.
- When you submit the form online, you will receive a confirmation e-mail. If you don’t get one, please email us. If you send your award by email, we will respond to say we’ve received it. If you submit by post, you will get email confirmation only
The Rules
Closing Dates
- Brighton & Hove: 30 June 2026
- East Sussex: 31 July 2026
Before You Submit
- Ensure all contact details (you, nominee, organisation) are complete and accurate
- Complete all sections of the nomination form
- Clearly explain why your nominee deserves the award
Writing Your Statement (Max 500 words)
- Do not include logos
- Do not include links (websites, social media, PDFs)
- Include all key information within the statement itself
- Keep it concise (up to 500 words)
Supporting Statements (if requested)
- Include within the main statement where possible
- If submitted separately, clearly label with:
- Your name
- Nominee name
- Organisation name
Ten Top Tips for Winning Nominations
Judges are experts in their category and may review 20+ entries in limited time. Make yours stand out.
- Read all supporting documents carefully:
- Category list
- Nomination rules
- “Made a Difference” guidance
- Outstanding behaviours (below)
- Choose the correct category for your nominee
- Plan your statement:
- What are your key messages?
- Draft in advance and keep a copy
- Stay relevant:
- Link everything clearly to the category
- Use evidence and examples
- Use strong language aligned to “Outstanding Behaviours”
- Include enough detail for judges to make a clear decision
- Keep it concise:
- Avoid repetition or irrelevant detail
- Follow the rules to ensure fairness
- Provide accurate contact details for nominee and manager
- Inform the nominee and their employer (where appropriate)
Examples of Outstanding Behaviours & Attributes
Judges are looking for evidence of:
- Inspiring others and promoting best practice
- Strong leadership, vision, and values
- Clear and effective communication
- Innovation and continuous improvement
- Supporting staff development and learning
- Engaging with the wider community
- Adapting services to meet individual needs
- Demonstrating dignity, respect, and compassion
- Exceptional dedication and commitment
- Positive role modelling
- Bridging health and social care effectively
- Promoting independence and personal growth
- Going the extra mile
Important: Always support claims with clear evidence or examples
Making a Difference – Guidance
Use these prompts to help shape your nomination:
Example framing:
- “[Nominee] made a difference to X’s life because…”
Strong examples include:
- Supporting someone to access the community or new experiences
- Improving communication, independence, or confidence
- Enabling education, employment, or life skills
- Creating a safer, more suitable environment
- Reducing incidents or improving wellbeing
Other ideas:
- Introduced new initiatives or activities
- Improved how a service operates
- Delivered impactful training
- Enabled others to thrive or succeed
Always explain:
- What changed
- Why it mattered
- How it was achieved
GOOD LUCK!
Credits: Care and Support West