Interview: Sarah Teather, minister for children and families

23 January 2012 5 mins read Janaki Mahadevan Early Years Interview

Sarah Teather is apologising that her rather functional Westminster office is not as homely as those of fellow ministers. "You should see some of them, especially the men's - have you seen Tim Loughton's?" she giggles. "They like to nest. But I've not been very good at nesting here."

The pursuit of such cosiness is unlikely to become Teather's top priority. Sitting composed and aware she has just a 30-minute window between meetings, she returns to more serious matters.

Since finding herself in the entirely unexpected role of minister of state for children and families 20 months ago - becoming the highest-ranking Liberal Democrat woman in government - Teather has had plenty on her plate. She has instigated reviews into the Early Years Foundation Stage, the Office of the Children's Commissioner for England and qualifications for early years practitioners. Furthermore, she has led on changes to the free entitlement to early education for threeand four-year-olds and disadvantaged two-year-olds, and the government's green paper on special educational needs.

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