Hertfordshire County Council manager receives MBE for commitment to children’s social care during pandemic

Children’s Services manager at Hertfordshire County Council has received an MBE from HRH Charles, Prince of Wales.

Pretty Nkiwane, the Family Safeguarding manager and a qualified social worker, received her award at Windsor Castle last Wednesday (June 8).

Pretty, whose career started in Zimbabwe, was nominated for an MBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours for her commitment to children’s social care during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Before Pretty went to Windsor Castle, she was invited to attend The Queen’s National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.

Pretty said: “I dedicate these honours to all my colleagues within Family Safeguarding services at Hertfordshire County Council for their committed teamwork, continued support and for working so tirelessly, particularly during the Covid pandemic, and beyond.”

She has been working at the county council for 19 years and helped to implement the Hertfordshire Family Safeguarding Model.

Pretty also helped devise the Frontline Programme for social worker training and recruitment.

Pretty said: “This is such an incredible privilege and a double honour to not only be recognised by Her Majesty the Queen for my MBE, but to also be invited to this private event which will give thanks to the incredible contribution The Queen has made to the people of the UK and around the world, during her 70-year reign.”

Cllr Fiona Thomson, Hertfordshire County Council’s Executive Member for Children, Young People and Families said: “Pretty is an outstanding recipient of the MBE and embodies all that is right in caring for children; she is an exemplar to her colleagues.”

Jo Fisher, Executive Director of Children’s Services at Hertfordshire County Council said: “We are immensely proud of Pretty whose MBE is so richly deserved in recognition of her diligent and dedicated work to the children, young people and families of Hertfordshire.”

Jo added: “It is wonderfully fitting that Pretty’s community dedication has been recognised with a separate invitation to the Thanksgiving Service for The Queen whose lifetime of community work is a shining example and a huge inspiration to us all.”