Voting is now open to choose three of the winners for the 2026 Accolades.
We’re inviting members of the public to vote for the three people they think should be crowned the winners of the Inspirational Leadership award, Learner of the Year award and WeCare Wales award for outstanding care workers.
The Accolades are annual awards that recognise, celebrate and share notable work in social care and childcare, play and early years in Wales.
Eight inspiring workers from across the social care and childcare, play and early years workforce have been chosen by our expert panels of judges as this year’s finalists across the three categories.
The three people who’ve shown exceptional leadership and have reached the final of the Inspirational Leadership award are:
- Jenna Bennett, Practice Lead at Swansea Council
- Gareth “Melvin” Jones, Service Manager for Regulated Services and Responsible Individual at Flintshire County Council
- Letitia Deeble, Mental Health Lead at Mirus in Port Talbot.
Three inspiring learners have reached the final round of the Learner of the Year award. They are:
- Catherine Hevizi, Supported Living Manager at Bridgend County Borough Council
- Rebecca Howell-Morgan, an inclusive playworker from Merthyr Tydfil
- Georgia Meyrick, a playworker from Cardiff.
While the two outstanding care workers who’ve been chosen as finalists for the WeCare Wales award are:
- Gareth Lewis, a social worker at Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
- Maxine Carr, a care and support worker from Denbighshire.
The winners will be announced at the 2026 Accolades awards ceremony at the Parkgate Hotel in Cardiff on 2 July.
Sarah McCarty, our Chief Executive, said: “Congratulations to all the finalists a nd thank you to all those who nominated a worker for this year’s awards.
“We received a record number of nominations this year and our eight exceptional finalists show the breadth of excellent care and support that’s being provided across the care sector in Wales.
“I’d like to encourage everyone to show their support for the awards and their finalists by voting for the three workers you think should be named the winners for 2026.”