Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families

Last updated August 30, 2024

The Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families was a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, responsible for the work of the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

The post was created on 28 June 2007 after the disbanding of the Department for Education and Skills by Gordon Brown.^[1] The only Secretary of State with this title was Ed Balls, a former treasury aide to Brown.^[2] He was responsible for coordinating work across Government relevant to youth justice, the respect agenda and family policy, while also taking over responsibility for education policy up to the age of 19 in England from the Department for Education and Skills, with the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills being responsible for education after that age.^[3] Other responsibilities included inputs into the Government's strategy for ending child poverty, with the Department for Work and Pensions and into promoting the health of all children by working with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

The corresponding shadow minister was the Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, and the Secretary of State was also scrutinised by the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee.^[4]

On 12 May 2010, the Department was again renamed and Michael Gove was appointed Secretary of State for Education.

Secretary of State

Colour key (for political parties):
Labour Labour Co-op

Name		Portrait	Term of office		Length of term	Political party	Prime Minister
	Ed Balls ^[5]		28 June 2007	11 May 2010	2 years, 10 months and 13 days	Labour Co-op		Gordon Brown

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References

↑ About the Department for Children, Schools and Families Archived 2007-06-10 at the Wayback Machine
↑ Ed Balls Profile
↑ Responsibilities of Secretary for Children, Schools and Families Archived 2007-10-01 at the Wayback Machine Independent Online
↑ "Balls: 'Test delays unacceptable'". BBC News. 16 July 2008. Retrieved 20 November 2021. Mr Balls declined to apologise for the problems, saying it was the job of the exams watchdog to manage the process. He was responding to tough questions from MPs on the Commons children, schools and families committee.
↑ "Rt Hon Ed Balls". UK Parliament. Retrieved 30 July 2021.

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[1] About the Department for Children, Schools and Families Archived 2007-06-10 at the Wayback Machine

[2] Ed Balls Profile

[3] Responsibilities of Secretary for Children, Schools and Families Archived 2007-10-01 at the Wayback Machine Independent Online

[4] "Balls: 'Test delays unacceptable'". BBC News. 16 July 2008. Retrieved 20 November 2021. Mr Balls declined to apologise for the problems, saying it was the job of the exams watchdog to manage the process. He was responding to tough questions from MPs on the Commons children, schools and families committee.

[5] "Rt Hon Ed Balls". UK Parliament. Retrieved 30 July 2021.

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