Hilary Jones has a dream job – she and her team help to make children’s dreams come true.

And making one dream come true has led to her being nominated in the Children’s category of the Hereford Times Health and Social Care awards.

Hilary is the head of Herefordshire’s Virtual School, with a team of 15 staff whose job it is to make sure each of the 300 or so children in care that they deal with achieve the best educational outcome they can.

Some of the children will have disabilities and complex needs, some will be under a lot of mental strain.

Whatever they are aiming for – from going to university to just completing mainstream schooling - Its Hilary’s job to try to help them achieve it.

“We want to raise aspirations for the children and those around them.

“If the children have a dream we do everything we can to help them achieve their dream.”

Relentless teamwork

Like the child with complex needs and disabilities who had been rejected more than ten times by specialist colleges across the country.

Hilary’s team worked ‘relentlessly’ and that child, despite all the obstacles, is now at a college – a dream come true for the family.

The Virtual School Team work closely with health workers and social care staff to ensure the best possible package of care is developed for each child.

Teamwork both in the Virtual School and with other departments means that Herefordshire is achieving above average results when it comes to their looked after children’s educational results.

Each year a special celebration is held to mark those successes.

And it does not matter whether it’s 10 GCSEs or a child learning sign language – each achievement is a cause of celebration.

Because for a child or a family it’s their dream come true.

  • Nominations are still open if you know of a special person or team who deserves special recognition in the Health and Social Care Awards.

It’s quick and easy, just go https://www.herefordtimes.com/awards/healthandsocialcare/ to fill out a form.

But hurry, entries close on August 21. The categories are: Health Care Team; Care Hero; Care Home Worker; Domiciliary Home Worker; Good Nurse; Care Trainer; Child and Adolescent Health; Dementia Carer; Palliative/End of Life; Mental Health; Health Care Employer; GP Practice of the Year