Harrow Council is facing renewed turmoil in its children’s services following the departure of the Director of Children’s Services, prompting the emergency appointment of Managing Director Alex Dewsnap as interim DCS.
The statutory role, required under the Children Act 2004, is now being filled on an interim basis “to ensure continuity of leadership” while the council begins yet another recruitment process.
This latest leadership change comes at a moment of profound crisis for the service, which was recently rated “inadequate” by Ofsted and placed under a government improvement notice, requiring urgent, demonstrable progress.
Despite years of restructuring, Harrow continues to struggle with severe delays in Education, Health and Care Plans, inconsistent communication with families, rising complaints and chronic workforce instability. High caseloads, heavy reliance on agency staff and persistent gaps in early-help provision have left frontline teams overstretched, while support for vulnerable children remains patchy and unpredictable.
The Ofsted inspection highlighted widespread failures in the children’s services, confirming what families have long reported about poor timeliness, weak oversight and ineffective management. Many argue that these problems are systemic rather than individual, with repeated staff departures signalling deeper cultural and organisational weaknesses.
Critics also emphasise the political dimension, questioning why the cabinet member for children’s services, Cllr Hitesh Karia, has remained in post throughout a prolonged period of poor performance, instability and regulatory intervention. They argue that continual changes in senior officers will achieve little without a shift in culture, stronger political oversight and a more compassionate ethos that prioritises vulnerable children over short-term, visibility-driven policy choices.
Some observers argue that the administration’s right-leaning, enforcement-focused approach has diverted attention away from families who depend most on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision, children’s social care and early-help support.
With another interim appointment now in place and the service operating under a government improvement notice, concerns remain about whether Harrow can deliver the stability, leadership and cultural reset required to drive meaningful change.
What is needed is sustained investment in early help, stronger accountability across political and officer leadership, and a fundamental reorientation of priorities to ensure that children and young people finally receive the consistent, lawful and timely support they deserve.
The statutory role, required under the Children Act 2004, is now being filled on an interim basis “to ensure continuity of leadership” while the council begins yet another recruitment process.
This latest leadership change comes at a moment of profound crisis for the service, which was recently rated “inadequate” by Ofsted and placed under a government improvement notice, requiring urgent, demonstrable progress.
Despite years of restructuring, Harrow continues to struggle with severe delays in Education, Health and Care Plans, inconsistent communication with families, rising complaints and chronic workforce instability. High caseloads, heavy reliance on agency staff and persistent gaps in early-help provision have left frontline teams overstretched, while support for vulnerable children remains patchy and unpredictable.
The Ofsted inspection highlighted widespread failures in the children’s services, confirming what families have long reported about poor timeliness, weak oversight and ineffective management. Many argue that these problems are systemic rather than individual, with repeated staff departures signalling deeper cultural and organisational weaknesses.
Critics also emphasise the political dimension, questioning why the cabinet member for children’s services, Cllr Hitesh Karia, has remained in post throughout a prolonged period of poor performance, instability and regulatory intervention. They argue that continual changes in senior officers will achieve little without a shift in culture, stronger political oversight and a more compassionate ethos that prioritises vulnerable children over short-term, visibility-driven policy choices.
Some observers argue that the administration’s right-leaning, enforcement-focused approach has diverted attention away from families who depend most on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision, children’s social care and early-help support.
With another interim appointment now in place and the service operating under a government improvement notice, concerns remain about whether Harrow can deliver the stability, leadership and cultural reset required to drive meaningful change.
What is needed is sustained investment in early help, stronger accountability across political and officer leadership, and a fundamental reorientation of priorities to ensure that children and young people finally receive the consistent, lawful and timely support they deserve.
Harrow Monitoring Group 
The Incompetence flowing through the Departments of Harrow Council at all levels beggars belief while incompetent personnel & Councillors clinging onto their chairs which is Unacceptable & Ridiculous & need booting out!
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