North East Lincolnshire Council’s Childrens Services have won a prestigious national award, following a dramatic transformation in recent years.
The annual Local Government Chronicle Awards recognise work by local authorities across England and Wales to support their communities and make strides in areas such as public health, adult social care, and children’s services.
2026 is the 30th anniversary of the awards, and saw more than 1,000 nominations across just 22 categories.
North East Lincolnshire Council’s Childrens Services were nominated following the rapid transformation that has taken place in recent years, culminating in an Ofsted rating of ‘Good’, with elements of ‘Outstanding’, late last year.
A Department for Education-appointed Commissioner, Anthony Douglas CBE, commented at the time that North East Lincolnshire Council was ‘one of the fastest improving councils in the country.’
In just 18-months, the Council brought in a new leadership team, overhauled processes, introduced new technology to support the safeguarding of children, and recruited significant numbers of new social workers and foster carers, overcoming significant challenges.
Significant work has taken place behind the scenes, working with other local authorities, local businesses and community groups.
Councillor Samuel Grice, deputy leader and portfolio for children and education at North East Lincolnshire Council, said:
“This is fantastic news for the whole area, and is a reflection of the great work that has taken place in the Council and in our community in recent years to transform the service, processes and policies, to best support our children, young people and their families.
“Supporting our young people is at the core of what a Council does, and I think that this recognition is reassurance that we are getting it right in North East Lincolnshire.”
Speaking following the ceremony, Director of Children’s Services at North East Lincolnshire Council, Ann-Marie Matson, said she was thrilled that the service had been recognised.
“I’ve worked in this sector for over 30 years, and this is the first time I’ve been to these awards, which demonstrates the level of improvement. To attend one of these ceremonies and then to go on to win it is just fantastic.
“This is a truly special moment for all of us and I could not be more proud. We have done so much fantastic work with our children, our young people and their families, with people in our community.
“We have forged new partnerships and strengthened existing relationships. We’ve worked closely with Humberside Police, with local schools and colleges, and with the NHS to make sure that when a child is in need, we wrap around them and their family.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank all of our incredible staff across the entire Council, and in our community, for working collectively to make a real difference to the lives of our children and young people.”
The award winners were announced at a ceremony at Grosvenor House Hotel in London earlier this week.
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