Wirral DCS Paul Boyce awarded OBE in New Year’s Honours
Fiona Simpson
Monday, January 4, 2021
A director of children’s services, praised by Ofsted for improving provision for vulnerable children and families in Merseyside, has been awarded an OBE.
Paul Boyce, director of children's services at Wirral Council, was awarded the accolade in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list 2021 for services to children in Merseyside.
Boyce took up the position at the council in December 2017 following five years as executive director (children) at Knowsley Council – when Wirral children's services was rated "inadequate" overall after an inspection in July 2016.
Boyce led a complete overhaul of the structure and culture of the department, significantly reducing the use of agency social work staff amid soaring rates of looked-after children before the Covid-19 pandemic hit.
He said: “I am receiving this award on behalf of all the great people I have worked with in my 36 year career and especially those who I have worked with during my time as a director of children services.
“It is a privilege to be a director of children services. It is the best job in the world. I have been particularly fortunate to work with people who not only share my passion for improving children’s lives, but who are prepared to work tirelessly to keep children safe, and to improve the services children need.
"The last three years in Wirral have been particularly rewarding as elected members, council officers, schools and all our partners have worked well together to address the failings in the service identified in the 2016 Ofsted inspection. I can only see a bright future for Wirral children and young people.
“This year has been incredibly challenging for all of us so for me personally this is a wonderful surprise and a great way to begin 2021.”
Peter Wanless, chief executive of the NSPCC is also among those to be recognised in the New Year’s Honours list, receiving a knighthood for services to children and young people and to the charitable sector.
Wanless joined the NSPCC in 2013 after running the Big Lottery Fund for five years. Before this he worked as a director at the Department for Education.
Over the last seven years, he has led a successful strategy to make five million children safer from abuse by 2021.
Wanless said: “It is a great privilege to lead the NSPCC and I am delighted on behalf of all our volunteers and staff to see our vital work to prevent abuse and neglect recognised in this way.
"This incredible honour comes as the end of a year that has taken its toll on children. We need to come together to make sure 2021 is a better year for our young people.”
Dozens of high-level social work professionals, voluntary sector workers and volunteers, teachers, adoption experts and foster carers are among those recognised in the honours.
These included foster carers Nigel and Rachel Poulton who took in 11 children during the pandemic who were each awarded an MBE.
Professor Edward Peck, vice chancellor at Nottingham Trent University (NTU), has received a CBE for ensuring NTU’s commitment to furthering social mobility through education by supporting students from less privileged backgrounds during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mark Siswick, head teacher at Chesterton Primary School, located in a highly deprived area of South West London, received an MBE for his efforts during the pandemic.
When the Prime Minister announced that all schools would be closed from 23 March 2020, Siswick was at the forefront of an effort to make more than 140 films that teach the government’s Letters and Sounds programme available to children remotely.
Other recipients include:
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Samantha Clayton, principal social worker for children and families at Lincolnshire County Council who received an OBE for services to social work.
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Linda Clegg, children's service improvement adviser at St Helen's Council who also received an OBE for services to social work.
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David Pearson, safeguarding campaigner and central figure in the development of the independent faith-based safeguarding charity Thirtyone:eight, has been awarded an MBE for services to safeguarding vulnerable people in the UK.
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Fozia Irfan, director of children & young people at BBC Children in Need, has been awarded an OBE for services to the community in Bedfordshire, particularly during the Covid-19 response.
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Joanne Hobbs, chief executive officer at the British Youth Council has been awarded an OBE for professional and voluntary services to young people.
To see the full New Year’s Honours List click here.