News

Social worker wins national award

Published

5 years ago

March 28, 2019

A SOCIAL worker in Pembrokeshire has received a prestigious national accolade thanks to her inspirational leadership of a new family support Team.

Amy Slater, who is based at the Flying Start centre in Pennar, won the ‘Innovative Social Work’ category in the BASW Cymru Social Work Awards 2019, held last week.

The small team – set up less than 12 months ago – is ground-breaking in its work on early intervention, says Amy’s supervisor Trish Mellor, who nominated her for the award.

“Amy has been influential in moving this service area forward, being creative and innovative in her approach,” she said. “She has a very modest, yet sensitive and ethical approach to building purposeful relationships with families and other professionals.

“Her particular skills lie in her ability to be non-oppressive with parents and carers who are vulnerable and are also very often anxious and totally overwhelmed in their role as parents.”

A range of parents supported Amy’s nomination. One said: “The support we had has been a massive help. I have been put at ease with everything from my mental health after pregnancy to dealing with a previous landlord and getting a new home. Literally couldn’t have done it without Amy over the past year.”

Another parent said: “Flying Start have helped me to make a completely new start. I couldn’t have done it without Amy. I feel brilliant.”

Originally from Abergavenny, Amy qualified as a social worker 18 years ago and worked for many years in the voluntary sector in London, including with Action for Children, Barnado’s and organisations combating child sexual exploitation.

For the last five years she has worked in Pembrokeshire County Council’s social care service based in the county’s Flying Start centres.

Her team takes a holistic approach towards early intervention, working with families on anything from mental health support and relationship problems to ensuring they have access to community resources and tackling hardship issues.

Amy said she was glad the work of preventative services had been recognised.

“Some people think it’s a fairly straightforward area of social work but it can be quite challenging,” she said. “It’s all about helping families to build up resilience so that their child can reach their potential in their early years and participate fully when they go to school.

“It’s a crucial period for children and families. This is the time we should be investing in; it sets the scene for their whole lives.”

A social care colleague said: “It is an inspiration and a joy to work alongside Amy. She is professional at all times without losing her empathic approach with families.”

Amy’s health colleagues in other areas of the Flying Start programme were also generous in their praise. “Her preventative approach to working has been invaluable in supporting Health Visitors and Community Nursery Nurses to safely manage families on their caseloads who are not quite meeting the threshold for statutory social care,” said one.

Another colleague said: “The Health team would love to see an “Amy” available to every community team in the County.”

Amy said an important feature of the Family Support Team are that they are flexible, responsive and compassionate in their delivery.

“We’re quite a new team and have had a busy year of trying to get things done but it makes my job really enjoyable working alongside people who are committed and enthusiastic and believe in what they’re doing.”

Crime

Unanimous verdict in Ceredigion sexual assault case

Published

19 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Tom Sinclair

A CEREDIGION man has been convicted to three years and six months in prison for sexually assaulting a woman in her own bed after the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict.

27-year-old Suroj Bk, from Llangrannog, was sentenced this week following a week-long trial at Swansea Crown Court (May 1).

On 7 October 2023, Dyfed-Powys Police received a report that Bk entered the victim’s home and sexually assaulted her while she lay in her bed.

When the victim realised what was happening, she kicked Bk out of her bed and called the police.

Upon receiving the report, officers quickly attended the victim’s home and conducted a thorough search of the surrounding area using police dogs and scenes of crime officers.

Evidence gathered from scene, together with extensive local enquiries, led officers to arrest Suroj Bk the next day (8 October).

While Bk was in custody, detectives, crime scene investigators, and digital forensic officers worked tirelessly to uncover the evidence that ultimately placed Suroj Bk at the scene.

After hearing the evidence, the jury took less than two hours to agree a unanimous guilty verdict.

The detective in charge of the case has praised the victim for her ‘tremendous courage’ in reporting the assault to police.

“Incidents of this nature are thankfully very rare within Ceredigion, and I’d like to reassure the community that this was an isolated incident, and that the identification and arrest of suspect was done quickly and efficiently,” said Detective Inspector Sam Gregory.

“The victim in this case demonstrated tremendous courage in reporting to police, and while this investigation was not straightforward in its nature, it was through the expertise and tenacity of forensic officers, working together with the investigation team, and the victim, that led to this successful prosecution.

“I hope the sentence given to Suroj Bk sends a clear and strong message that Dyfed-Powys Police takes reports of sexual offences seriously.

“We will listen to you, and we will work tirelessly to get justice.”

On Wednesday, 1 May 2024, Saroj Bk was sentenced to three years and six months in prison and a five-year restraining order, and he will be on the sex offenders register for life.

If you have been a victim of a crime such as this, report it to Dyfed-Powys Police either through a direct message on social media, online at: https://www.dyfed-powys.police.uk/ro/report/rsa/alpha-v1/v1/rape-sexual-assault-other-sexual-offences/, by emailing [email protected], or by calling 101.

In an emergency, always call 999.

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired text the non-emergency number on 07811 311 908. Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555111, or visiting crimestoppers-uk.org.

News

Body recovered confirmed to be Luke Stephenson, say police

Published

19 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Tom Sinclair

DYFED-POWYS police have said today that the body found on Wednesday, May 1, has been confirmed to be Luke Stephenson, who was reported missing from the Pembroke Dock area on April 14.

A spokesperson for the force said: “We will continue to support the family and will assist with issuing a tribute publicly if the family wish to do so.”

In a statement, his family said: “Luke was a joyful and funny young man and always wanted to help others. He was a loving son, brother, grandson and uncle, and will be forever missed.
“We have lost a huge part of our family, and our loss is shared by his many friends who also loved him dearly.
“We would like to thank the local community for the overwhelming support we have received.”

Business

Port of Milford Haven now official ‘a great place to work’

Published

22 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE PORT of Milford Haven has been officially accredited as a Great Place to Work-Certified™ organisation. As the first Port Authority in Britain to secure this Certification™, it is a significant achievement.

“We are very proud to be Great Place to Work-Certified™,” said Vidette Swales, HR Director at the Port of Milford Haven. “It means so much that our employees have reported a consistently positive experience with their colleagues, their leaders and their jobs. Offering a positive employee experience is not only beneficial for the people who work with us but is also key for our continued business success.”

Tom Sawyer, CEO at the Port of Milford Haven added: “Our team is operating the UK’s leading energy port, and it is of the utmost importance that we do that safely, responsibly and effectively. We’re striving for excellence and aim to provide a world class service to our customers as well as supporting sustainable coastal communities for the prosperity of future generations. Our employees are clearly at the centre of this which is why I’m delighted that they feel supported in their role. I’m especially proud that this Certification™ demonstrates our core values of Safety, Excellence, Collaboration and Sustainability so perfectly.”

“We congratulate the Port of Milford Haven on achieving their Certification™,” said Benedict Gautrey, Managing Director of Great Place to Work® UK. “Organisations which put the employee experience at the heart of their business gain their employees’ trust and, in turn, are truly able to build a great workplace culture that delivers outstanding business results.”