The annual European Social Services Awards (ESSA) acknowledges outstanding achievements in social services, shining a spotlight on successful new approaches and the extraordinary ongoing work of public social services managers, funders, planners, providers, and deliverers of social services. 

The theme for this year’s European Social Services Awards is ‘Promoting Person-centred Care.’ A person-centred approach places the goals, values and preferences of the person, as an expert of their own experience, at the centre in the development and provision of care. 

The 2023 Awards will recognise the organisations and people that are rethinking their services to provide care which is centred around the person, coordinated between services and professionals and enables people to live independent lives and be fully included in their communities.

The 2023 Award categories are as follows:

• Service Delivery
• Workforce Support
• Collaborative Practice
• Research and Evaluation
• Digital Transformation
• Excellence in Cities

The headline award, Excellence in Cities, seeks to highlight the city that has been outstanding in Promoting Person-centred Care.

How to Apply

Submit your application online here. 

To support coordination and collaboration with your colleagues to prepare your application, a word version of the application form is available here.

More information on the Award categories, theme and evaluation process is available on the awards website.

Timeline

30 June 2023: Deadline for Applications

End of September: Notification of shortlisted finalists  

Mid-October: Online public voting opens

16-17 November:Winners will be announced at the 2023 Awards Ceremony

For further questions please contact essa@esn-eu.org