News

The 250-year-old Thomas Coram Foundation for Children is considering its future following the recent departure of its director reports Phil Cohen

The departure of Chris Hanvey as director of the Thomas Coram Foundation for Children after clashes over the charity's direction underlines the problem of modernising a charity which has its roots in 18th century philanthropy.

Hanvey was grappling with a unique organisation which combines well-developed child care work such as adoption, support for care leavers and supervised access to children, with an art gallery and museum at its elegant Brunswick Square headquarters in central London.

The foundation has decided to reshape Harvey's post to make it similar to that of a chief executive, although his position of director and secretary specifically encompassed the two sides of the work.

Hanvey, a former divisional director of social services in Leeds and assistant director, NCHAction For Children, who had been in the post nearly three years, went on leave before Christmas and has now left after securing a settlement (News, 11 January).

According to insiders it was not an easy relationship with Carolyn Steen, chairperson of the trustees, who replaced Dame Gillian Wagner after previous reports of disputes over policy direction under the latter's tenure.

The decision to redraw the post and seek a replacement for Chris Hanvey was ratified at a meeting of the foundation's court attended by about 20 trustees last week.

One of them, Adrianne Jones, former director of Birmingham social services, said: 'They have got some interesting and exciting ideas about developing the campus site near the headquarters and it will be a major task to fund raise to implement these.

'The child care work should in no way be put at a disadvantage in keeping the museum alive - it should benefit the child care side,' she added.

However, the foundation failed in a £9 million bid to the National Lottery Charities Board. Acting director Richard Wyber, the finance director, said the cash was for rebuilding the Brunswick Square site to provide more accommodation and development of services. The charity had hoped it could secure funding for the refurbishment in one go. 'Now we need to think again about other sources of funding and perhaps take a more incremental approach to it,' Wyber said.

Thomas Coram is thought to have built up several millions of pounds of reserves during its long history.

But the museum and art gallery, with virtually no income, demand large annual subsidies. When Harvey joined there was a £300,000 deficit. This turned into the black last year. During his tenure, the foundation underwent a major reorganisation, took on new contracts and absorbed a small charity.

Currently the foundation provides an adoption service for children with special needs such as those with disabilities or HIV; semi-supported houses for young care leavers in London; and the Meeting Place, a contact centre where parents under non-custodial orders can see their children with supervision. The nearby three acres of land which Wyber is referring to as a new 'campus' houses a Camden Council nursery school, an independent Coram nursery and two homeless family projects.

'Our aspiration is to develop that campus with a range of child care services focusing on young children and working with existing users. We want to try and provide a coherent range of services so they all work together while updating the arts and cultural aspect to make that artistic tradition relevant to the users today,' Wyber said.

'It's a challenge, the charity clearly regards our child care work as the main focus but when you have this collection which is over 200 years old you have to consider that as well,' he added.

But some sources claim the Steen regime gives less emphasis to the social work side and Harvey's departure revolves around his commitment to child care.