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Department for Children, Schools and Families

The Department for Children, Schools and Families is responsible for children's services, families, schools, 14-19 education, and the Respect Taskforce.

The department brings together key aspects of policy affecting children and young people for the first time.

Here are a list of ministers who work for the Department.

Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families

Rt Hon Ed Balls

Has overall responsbility for the department, ensuring that every child gets the best possible start in life, that they are safe and healthy, that they secure the highest standards of achievements, that they enjoy their childhood and that they can make a positive contribution to society free from the effects of poverty.

Minister of State

Jim KnightJim Knight MP

Responsibilities:

  • School standards
  • Ofsted and school improvement
  • National curriculum 5-19, including assessment and liaison with QCA
  • Personalised learning
  • 14-19 curriculum, qualification and delivery programme
  • Work-based learning for 14-19s, financial support for 16-19s
  • School funding
  • School admissions
  • School governance
  • Schools' capital and BSF
  • Teachers and workforce issues including pensions and GTC
  • PREVENT strategy/counter-terrorism/community cohesion
  • Raising the participation age
  • School trips/Education outside the Classroom
  • Olympics
  • ICT, digital curriculum, Teachers' TV and e-strategy
  • Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM)
  • Parental engagement in schools
  • School Leadership including NCSL
  • New Relationship with Schools
  • Local authority funding (with Beverley Hughes)
  • Black Country Challenge

Minister of State and Minister for the North West

Beverley HughesRt Hon Beverley Hughes MP

Responsibilities:

  • Youth and Youth Justice
  • Children's views/Children and Youth Board
  • Child poverty
  • Parenting and families strategy
  • Financial capability (across the board, including in schools)
  • Early learning and development, Curriculum 0-5
  • Extended schools
  • Children's Centres
  • NEETs
  • Ofsted re children's services
  • UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children)
  • Childcare Act 2006 implementation
  • Children's Trusts
  • Every Child Matters finance
  • ECM inspection and intervention
  • ECM commissioning and market development
  • ECM communications
  • Local government policy
  • Government offices and field forces
  • Teenage pregnancy strategy
  • Domestic violence
  • Young people's Information Advice and Guidance
  • Social Exclusion
  • Knowledge for improvement
  • Local authority funding (with Jim Knight)
  • Manchester Challenge

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State

Kevin BrennanKevin Brennan

Responsibilities:

  • Safeguarding and child protection including Vetting and barring scheme
  • Children in Care, Fostering and adoption
  • Supporting Beverley Hughes on Youth Justice Board
  • Behaviour and attendance, bullying
  • PRUs
  • Respect
  • Health issues including school food, Healthy Schools, obesity, drugs and alcohol
  • Sport and Youth Sport Trust, Playing for Success
  • Efficiency
  • Children's workforce
  • Parent Know-How
  • Parenting Fund
  • CAF (Common Assessment Framework) and Lead Professional
  • ContactPoint
  • Sustainability and environment
  • Young carers
  • Asylum seeking children
  • CAFCASS and family law
  • Third sector

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State

Lord Andrew AdonisLord Andrew Adonis

Responsibilities:

  • House of Lords Spokesman
  • Academies
  • Trusts
  • Specialist schools
  • School Organisation
  • Class sizes
  • Supporting Jim Knight on 14-19 qualifications
  • 16-19 Reorganisations, including school 6th Forms
  • Primary schools and National Strategies oversight
  • Failing schools
  • Performance tables
  • Special Educational Needs and disabled children
  • Independent schools
  • Boarding schools
  • Gifted and talented
  • Specialist Schools and Academies Trust
  • Music and dance scheme
  • School transport
  • Pupil health and safety
  • Music
  • Freedom of Information
  • London Challenge
  • Diversity and Equality

Contact department

You can contact the Department by Email.

Between 9.00-17.00 Monday to Friday:

Telephone: 0870 000 2288

Textphone/Minicom: 01928 794274

Fax: 01928 794248

If you know the name of the person you want to speak to please telephone 0870 001 2345.

Please note that the Department aims to reply to written correspondence within 15 working days.

Department for Children, Schools and Families
Sanctuary Buildings
Great Smith Street
London
SW1P 3BT