Meet James Parker, Service Director
James Parker has worked in social care for over 16 years, beginning his career in a residential care home supporting individuals with autism and complex needs. Since then, he has dedicated his career to the non-profit sector, supporting adults with a wide range of care needs.
For 10 years, James held a variety of managerial roles within a large national non-profit, where he developed a strong interest in quality, compliance, governance and organisational culture. In 2021/22, he supported Care is Central through the transition of its first services into the organisation, later joining the team in late 2022 as Head of Independent Living. Since then, he has built and developed the Quality Team and now serves as Service Director for People, Performance & Practice.
Like many in social care, James brings both professional and lived experience to his work, having also provided care for family members with support needs. He is deeply passionate about delivering high-quality care within an environment that values and supports team members as much as the people the organisation serves.
What are you most proud of?
I don’t often stop to reflect on what I am proud of but now given the chance there are many things I can look back on with pride in my life. In my social care career, and my career as a professional dance teacher before that, I have always strived to improve the lives of others and to support people to achieve their potential. From teaching children with additional needs to perform in front of large audiences to working with local authorities to run free dance classes for young people in deprived areas. Launching an initiative across independent living schemes in Bedfordshire and Berkshire during the pandemic to reducing loneliness and isolation in the height of the Covid-19 crisis, as well as mentoring many managers to fulfil their potential in their own careers – I feel I have achieved a lot which I am proud of.
What does high-quality care or ‘doing care differently’ mean to you?
‘Doing care differently’ means looking at care differently and from the perspectives of those receiving it, those delivering it, and those observing it. It is not about ticking the box, but rather thinking outside of it to be innovative, forward-thinking and versatile in our shaping and delivery of our care services. What is often seen as ‘above and beyond’ should be part of our everyday norm.
What do you think makes Care is Central different?
From day one in my role at Care is Central I have had a voice and one that all teams have been keen to hear. Staff are not just numbers or bodies on the ground, but we are all a part of the journey. We have a collective vision to deliver innovative and versatile services that are prepared to take calculated risks in our approaches to providing care and we want everyone to be involved in shaping the organisation.
