Sue Williams (right) with Isabelle Trowler (left)
by Isabelle Trowler
Some of you will have known and admired Sue very much; some of you will have heard of Sue by reputation.
More of you will have heard of the family safeguarding model – the practice framework for children’s social care that Sue tirelessly developed and helped scale up across England over the past 10 years.
‘She knew how intense and emotional the work can be’
Sue cared – a lot – about children and their families, but she also cared a lot about social work. She knew how highly skilled, intense and emotional the work can be.
She knew that social work can be frequently frightening, frustrating, worrying and deeply rewarding. It requires depth of thought and a generosity of spirit, resilience, enormous creativity and an ability to hold extensive power.
It is why she set out to create a practice framework that helped anchor the practitioner within a set of values and skills and which offers clarity of purpose.
The new statutory Children’s Social Care National Framework for England and the government’s reform programme for family help and child protection reflect much of Sue’s ambition for our sector. This is her proud legacy.
‘She had the courage and determination to drive through change’
Sue Williams was recognised for her outstanding contribution to children and families in the 2024 Frontline Awards (photo by Frontline)
I chair the children’s social care national practice group, which is a multidisciplinary, multi-agency group of experts whose role is to set the practice direction for local authority social worker. As a member of the group, Sue was always there banging her drum relentlessly and shamelessly!
Even when Sue became increasingly unwell, she still came because she had a point to make. And this is what I loved about her. Her tenacity and grace for what she believed to be right were second to none.
We have come a very long way since I sat on the Department for Education’s innovation board about 10 years ago and saw that twinkle in Sue’s eye.
Not long after, we took a punt and invested in her family safeguarding framework in Hertfordshire, where she had worked for many years.
Sue had that crucial courage, conviction, energy, insight and determination to drive through these kinds of changes; changes that will stick and make a positive difference for years to come.
‘Sue was a social worker through and through’
Many of us reading this will be deeply affected by Sue’s death because, even though you might not have known her personally, you may recognise her work in your own practice.
You will certainly recognise many of Sue’s attributes – because this is what makes you a good practitioner.
Sue was a social worker through and through. She loved our profession.
Even though her loss will be greatly felt, there is surely solace that Sue lived a purposeful life, making a positive, significant and lasting difference.
I know that Sue’s son will read this – never was there a son more loved – and I hope it offers him and his family some solace too.
Sue Williams died on 5 January 2025 at the age of 69. Her family have shared that donations to the Trussell Trust, Cancer Research UK or Arthur Rank Hospice would be much appreciated in her memory.
