The long goodbye - Paul Clark, director of children's services, Harrow Borough Council
Janaki Mahadevan
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Paul Clark longs for a work-free weekend. With seven years under his belt as director of children's services in Harrow it is not hard to see why.
"It's a very demanding job - 12 hours a day, seven days a week," he says. But despite the gruelling challenges thrown up by what has been a transformational period for children's services, he is proud that the authority has been up to the task.
In fact, Clark is not quite ready to let go. When announcing his departure from the post earlier this year, he agreed to a substantial handover period lasting until July 2010, to help prepare his successor for the challenges ahead.
"It is very important to secure the best you have done and say: 'Here are the areas where we need to change'. But I don't think people in these top jobs should stay here just for the sake of it," he says. "You should make your contribution, make a positive difference and then move on to let someone else make theirs."
And what has been Clark's contribution? He says that when he came to the role the schools in the area were performing well, but more generally services weren't up to scratch - something he attributes to poor links with partner agencies.
Close ties
Now, with close ties between police, health, schools and the voluntary sector, Clark can see the difference to children's services as a whole
"Partnership is about professional relationships and accountability, not just processes," he says. "It is about trust and belief in young people but also trust and belief in your partners."
Since working with the charity Coram on its adoption services, Harrow has managed to wipe out the waiting list for children awaiting adoption. The authority has also joined forces with Shaftesbury Young People to run a state-of-the-art children's home which replaced a dilapidated building. And Watford Football Club is also heavily involved in running programmes for young people, while the local association of voluntary services works closely with the council on a range of initiatives.
But Clark is adamant that none of this means relinquishing his or the council's accountability. "We haven't outsourced anything," he explains. "The legal responsibility stays with me and everyone knows what they are doing and who is leading."
Clark takes most pride in the strides Harrow has made in celebrating its young people and ensuring their input shapes all services. He visits schools regularly, meets children in care and asylum seekers and is frequently held to account by the youth council.
Youth achievement
Next week, the authority stages its annual youth achievement awards, which Clark describes as "an Oscars for young people". No expense has been spared, even in these tough economic times. Celebrities attending range from Harrow-born Slumdog Millionaire star Dev Patel to the musician Kate Nash. Prizes on offer include apprenticeships with Mercedes-Benz and a £10,000 investment fund that the 10 winners will control.
The clear message from Clark is: "Give young people a chance, give them some responsibility, give them a hand to work out how to do it and then believe in them."
He insists that leaner times do not have to have a negative impact on services. "We have reduced the spend every year but deliver more of higher quality," he says.
Yet, given diminishing budgets and public pressure to reduce council tax, Clark is heavily involved in what is termed the "future operating model" for Harrow Council, which is a plan for the next three years.
The obvious desire to ensure things are left stable is however not going to prevent Clark from stepping away from his role. While he is clear he is not retiring he does not yet have a plan of what the future holds.
"I would like to do something where I can make a difference as long as it is not a full-time job. It would be lovely to just have a weekend that is a weekend." At which point, his reverie is interrupted by an urgent tapping on the door indicating he is late for his next meeting.
CV: CLARK'S RISE TO THE TOP
- Paul Clark qualified as a social worker in 1974, in Northamptonshire. He undertook family work, ran a residential assessment centre and became team and divisional manager
- Clark joined the Social Services Inspectorate in 1988 for North East and then London, becoming national lead inspector for child protection
- In 1991 Clark managed the Cleveland children and families department
- He joined the prison inspectorate in 1998, during which time he wrote a report on young prisoners
- In 2000, he became deputy director of children's services in Hertfordshire, before becoming director of children's services for Harrow in 2003