As ministerial visits go, last week's birthday party to mark the first anniversary of the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) must rank among the strangest.
The event, at St Matthew's Church of England School in Westminster, London, saw Children's Secretary Ed Balls hanging out with actor Henry Winkler (aka The Fonz from '70s TV show Happy Days), colouring in pictures with children and singing "happy birthday dear department" before handing out pieces of cake.
This was all a far cry from the usual round of meetings and formal visits for the man running what Labour MP Barry Sheerman, the chair of Parliament's Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, has described as "the most challenging departmental arrangement ever created" (CYP Now, 23-29 April).
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
