An awards ceremony will be held in November to celebrate the talents and achievements of looked after children and those leaving care in Dudley, with a theme of ‘superheroes’. Nominations are being invited for each of the seven award categories, with a closing date of October 1.

Trophies on offer include the Horizon Award, which will recognise a young person who has “shown ambition, aspiration, resilience” despite the barriers they have faced. The Make A Difference Award will honour someone who has made a positive contribution in their community, possibly by volunteering, or helping others and the Super Skill Award is for those who have shown talent or excelled in a particular field – such as sport, art, or academically.

There will also be a Job & Enterprise Award, recognising a care leaver who has shown “determination, commitment and motivation” in their work or business. Councillor Angus Lees, cabinet member for children’s services, said:

"Last year we received lots of fantastic nominations and it was very hard to choose the winners in each category.We want people to nominate their own superheroes, youngsters in care or adults working in care who have gone above and beyond.

"You can nominate as many as you like, so we would urge people to do it before the deadline on October 1."

This year’s awards are being planned and organised by the Dudley Children in Care Council and the Care Leavers Forum.