Show us what digital care looks like in action.
We’re inviting people across adult social care to enter the Digital Care Photography Competition 2026 by Friday 4 September, and share images that celebrate the people, places and everyday moments where technology and data make care better, safer and more connected.
You do not need to be a professional photographer. Photos taken on phones are very welcome. What matters most is that your image tells a clear, respectful and human story about digital care in action.
Quick overview
- Competition theme: digital care in action.
- Who can enter: people drawing on care and support, unpaid family carers, care workers, care teams and care providers. Technology suppliers cannot enter directly, but can encourage their care provider clients to take part.
- What to submit: a clear, respectful photograph showing how technology or data supports care, connection, independence, safety, learning or wellbeing. This can include everyday consumer technology, such as smart speakers, tablets, phones, video calls or apps, when used safely and appropriately.
- Consent: if anyone can be clearly recognised in your photo, you must send in our completed image consent form with your entry. Everyone identifiable must be aged 18 or over, able to give informed consent, and agree before you submit it. Do not enter a photo if anyone who can be recognised has not signed our competition consent form. Download competition consent form here.
- Closing date: 5pm on Friday 4 September 2026.
- Prizes: winning entries will receive prizes, including a professional photo shoot for the first prize winner and prints of winning photographs.
- Questions: if you want to check an idea or ask about consent, contact [email protected] before entering.
Why take part?
The competition is a chance to show the positive difference digital technology and data can make in adult social care.
Shortlisted photographs may be displayed at Digital Care Summit London on 23 September 2026 and shared through Digital Care Hub communications, with credit to the photographer where practical.
What we are looking for
We are looking for real, respectful images that show how technology or data supports care, connection, independence, safety, learning or wellbeing. This does not have to be specialist care technology. Everyday consumer technology, such as smart speakers, tablets, phones, video calls or apps, can also be part of digital care when used safely.
This is not about marketing a brand, product or supplier. Please avoid images that look like product advertising.
What we’re looking for:
- Technology supporting people’s independence, safety or wellbeing.
- Everyday consumer technology being used safely to support care, connection or independence.
- Digital tools helping care workers, teams or services.
- Connection, communication or community.
- Learning, confidence or new ways of working.
- Data making care safer, more personalised or more joined up.
Prizes
Prizes include a professional photo shoot, photography vouchers and printed copies of winning photographs.
- 1st prize: A half-day professional photo shoot, six 10×8 prints, and a print of your entry.
- 2nd prize: £150 in photography-related vouchers of your choice, and a print of your entry.
- 3rd prize: £75 in photography-related vouchers of your choice, and a print of your entry.
Winning and shortlisted photographs will be printed and displayed as part of the exhibition at Digital Care Summit London on 23 September. Delegates at the event will also vote on their ‘People’s Choice’ photograph.
Who can enter?
The competition is open to people and organisations involved in adult social care, including people drawing on care and support, unpaid family carers, care workers, care teams and care providers.
Technology suppliers cannot enter directly, but they can tell their care provider clients about the competition and encourage them to take part.
How to enter
Enter using the online entry form. You will need to upload your photo and any consent forms, so please get your files ready first. We recommend naming the files in a way that makes it easy for us to associate the photographs and the consent forms. You’ll need to provide the file names in the form.
For examples you might go with: MichelleCorriganPhoto1 and MichelleCorriganConsent1
You can submit multiple entries – just complete a separate form for each photograph.
Before you start the entry form
Before you start, make sure you have:
- permission to submit each photo, including from the photographer if that is not you;
- a completed consent form if anyone can be clearly recognised;
- a short caption explaining what the photo shows and why it matters.
Consent form: If someone is identifiable you MUST ask them to sign our competition consent form and return it with your entry. Download our consent form here.
Naming your files
You can upload your photos and scans of your consent forms in the entry form. Please name your files so we can match photographs and consent forms to the correct entry. Use your name as part of the file title.
- Photographs: FirstnameSurnamePhoto# — for example, MichelleCorriganPhoto1.
- Consent forms: FirstnameSurnameConsent# — for example, MichelleCorriganConsent1. If you have multiple consent forms for the same photo, add letters to show they belong together, for example: MichelleCorriganConsent1a, MichelleCorriganConsent1b and MichelleCorriganConsent1c.
- If you submit more than one photograph, please use a different photograph and consent title for each entry, for example Photo2 and Consent2.
Submit your entry
Upload your photo and any required consent forms in the online entry form by 5pm on Friday 4 September 2026. Late, incomplete or inaccessible entries may not be accepted.
There is a link in the entry form to a secure folder where you can upload your files. Make sure you open this in a new tab so you don’t lose access to your online form.
If you are not sure whether your idea is suitable, or whether you have the right consent in place, please contact [email protected] before you submit your entry.
Complete the competition entry form.
Consent guidance
You must send a completed image consent form if anyone can be clearly recognised in your photo, including people in the background. If no one can be recognised, you do not need a consent form.
Everyone who can be clearly recognised must be aged 18 or over, understand how the photo may be used and agree before you submit it.
Each recognised person should sign the consent form. One form can cover more than one person in the same photo.
If you are unsure about consent, image suitability or your idea, contact [email protected] before entering.
Judging
Entries will be judged by a panel including Digital Care Hub colleagues, Care Management Matters (CMM), and the competition sponsor, to be confirmed.
Judges will look for relevance to digital care, real-world impact, the story and context provided by the photo and caption, dignity and respect, authenticity, originality, and image quality. The full judging criteria are set out in the Terms and Conditions.
Summary of Terms and Conditions
Please read the full Terms and Conditions before entering. By submitting an entry, you confirm that you have read, understood and agreed to them.
- Entries must be submitted by 5pm on Friday 4 September 2026.
- You must have permission to submit the photograph, including permission from the photographer if that is not you.
- You must send a completed image consent form if anyone can be clearly recognised in the photo.
- Everyone who can be clearly recognised must be aged 18 or over and able to give informed consent.
- Photos must not show confidential information, anyone under 18, anyone without capacity to consent or anything that looks like product advertising.
- Technology suppliers cannot enter directly but they can share the competition with care provider clients.
- Digital Care Hub may use submitted images for purposes connected with the competition and its wider work to promote digital care in practice.
