Primarolo takes the reins from Hughes as children's minister

Primarolo replaces Beverley Hughes, who made the shock decision to resign last week.

Primarolo told CYP Now this week: "I am looking forward to driving forward policies that make a real difference to the support, advice and services available to children and families. My previous role at the Department of Health included many issues that are critical to the long-term prospects of our young people. By continuing to work together - children's services, schools, the voluntary sector and government - we can make this country the best place in the world for our children to grow up in."

Public sector experience

Primarolo was public health minister for nearly two years, and before that she worked closely with Children's Secretary Ed Balls during a 10-year spell at the Treasury.

John Chowcat, general secretary of children's services union Aspect, said: "Her role in health gave her extensive public sector experience. She has a strong reputation and my guess is she'll be on top of the children's services agenda in no time."

He said her experience in health could help increase joint working between the Department of Health and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), describing the relationship between children's services and GPs as "one of the missing parts of the puzzle".

But Primarolo is also no stranger to criticism. During her time as Paymaster General, the tax credit system came under fire for its inaccessibility and overpayments, which left some parents out of pocket when they were reclaimed.

Hilary Fisher, director of the Campaign to End Child Poverty, said: "We would expect her to take a very different approach to child poverty than she did in the Treasury, coming at it from the perspective of children and young families."

Primarolo's appointment came during a traumatic week for the Labour Party, marked by a string of ministerial resignations and shocking results at the European and local elections, where the party lost control of its remaining four councils.

Les Lawrence, chair of the Local Government Association (LGA) children and young people board, said the LGA and the Improvement and Development Agency must now provide significant support for incoming lead members for children's services. "These new lead members are going to have to hit the ground running given the current agendas," he said.

PRIMAROLO'S CV

Dawn Primarolo became MP for Bristol South in 1987 - Although now a New Labour loyalist, when first elected to Parliament her reputation as a hard left-winger earned her the nickname "Red Dawn".

- In 1991, she protested against the Gulf War and refused to pay poll tax, defying the party line;

- From 1992 to 1997 she served as shadow health minister and shadow Treasury minister;

- She was appointed financial secretary to the Treasury when Labour was elected in 1997;

- In 1999, she became Paymaster General, overseeing tax credits;

- In July 2007, Gordon Brown appointed her public health minister, a post she held until last week's Cabinet reshuffle.