NORTH Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) staff have been recognised in the New Year’s Honours list for their work on improving the life chances of children with challenging backgrounds.

Janice Nicholson, who has played a key role in the success of No Wrong Door for NYCC, has been awarded an MBE for services to children.

She is the strategic lead for No Wrong Door, a ground-breaking programme which aims to support young people from difficult backgrounds, and is now being duplicated by other local authorities.

Her career with the county council began in 1995, as a residential worker before becoming a registered manager of a home, when work began on developing innovative

new services for looked after children.

In 2014 the authority made a successful bid for Department of Education funding to progress that work further, “rethinking care for adolescents” was provided. It resulted in two hubs being formed, in Harrogate and Scarborough, to provide a range of services for adolescents in and on the edge of care.

“The work has been successfully evaluated and it has continued to grow,” said Janice.

The county council has since been granted funding to develop the No Wrong Door programme with six other authorities.

Sam Clayton, who has spent almost a year working in North Yorkshire, has had her career working with children and young people recognised with an OBE in recognition of her services to social work.

Sam is involved in a range of work streams, including the quality of social work practice, workforce development and the Partners in Practice transformation programme at NYCC.

She said the honour had come as a “complete shock” following a career when she felt “you do the best you can”.

As part of her work, Sam is involved in the recruitment of social workers, working with universities to provide placements as part of the Yorkshire Urban and Rural Teaching Partnership, promoting the profession and encouraging young people to consider social work as a career.

Cllr Janet Sanderson, executive member for children’s services at NYCC, said: “I am absolutely delighted for Janice and Sam and offer them our warmest congratulations.

“It seems to be becoming a repetitive cycle for NYCC as yet another year with two people from our Children and Young People’s service in the New Year’s Honours list, it’s fantastic news.”