Awards and recognition in 2026
This page celebrates the awards we won and the recognition we received in so far in 2026.
2026 CDC SEND Awards – Shared Vision for SEND
In April 2026, the Children's Services team were awarded the Shared Vision for SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) Award at the Council for Disabled Children (CDC) SEND Awards.
The council wants all children and young people to have good speech, language and communication skills so they can learn, feel included and have better chances in life. The aim is to spot any difficulties early and support children in everyday places like schools and nurseries. This approach was shaped using people’s real experiences and feedback. It responds to concerns about long waiting times, unclear services and the need for earlier, more practical help for staff.
Funding has been used to build lasting improvements, such as shared tools, online resources and support for schools, so services work better together and staff feel more confident. Services now follow clearer pathways and give more consistent messages, supported by training and events across the borough.
2025/26 iNetwork Innovation Award for Connected Procurement and Commissioning
The Greater Adult Social Care Transformation team, in partnership with the 10 Directors of Adult Social Services, has won the 2025/26 iNetwork Innovation Award for Connected Procurement and Commissioning, in recognition of the brilliant work on 'Supporting People to Live Well at Home Greater Manchester Complex Lives Programme and GM Provider Framework'.
Through strong collaboration across Greater Manchester, the complex lives programme has created homes and great lives for people in the local community, many of whom were in long stay hospitals or living far away from home.
Building on this successful blueprint, the team has widened the scope of the programme with the development of a Greater Manchester Provider Framework launched in April 2025. This was a hugely ambitious project and has attracted significant interest from care and health providers.
Rochdale District Commanders Award
This award was presented to the Rochdale Complex Safeguarding Team by Greater Manchester Police in recognition of their exceptional professionalism, compassion and unwavering commitment to protecting vulnerable children and families.
Through skilled partnership working, proactive operations, and a child-centred approach, the team has played a vital role in disrupting exploitation, supporting victims, and bringing offenders to justice. This award acknowledges their outstanding contribution, resilience, and the profound difference they make every day.
Internet Crystal Mark 2026
The council's website achieved the Internet Crystal Mark awarded by the Plain English Campaign for the 13th consecutive year. There were many positives highlighted within the report. One of the highlights in the summary said:
"The language on the website is excellent. You make very good use of Plain English and there are no issues with the clarity of your text.
"A very well presented and laid out site with clear options."
This award demonstrates our continued commitment to plain English throughout the website.
Sitemorse Q1 2026 Local Government INDEX
The council's website came 5th out of over 330 websites tested in the Sitemorse Local Government INDEX for the 1st quarter (January–March) in 2026.
In the UK Local Government sector, the INDEX ranks local government websites across the whole UK for areas including performance, compliance, accessibility and quality. This award demonstrates our commitment to making our website accessible to all.