What they heard, in the main, was promising, with the added interest ofseveral policy announcements - the continuation of the children's fund,a consultation on staying safe, and the DCSF taking on jointresponsibility for children's play with the DCMS.
Ed Balls made it clear that disabled children and those living indeprivation were at the top of his list. His speech did not have thefluency and practised ease of a minister who has said it all a thousandtimes before, but the occasional stumble added to the sense that hiswords were genuine and heartfelt.
The scramble to the microphone at question time from fervent advocatesof organisations dealing with obesity, fathers' rights, sportsfacilities, sexual bullying, lesbian and gay teachers, and much more,highlights the job to be done in pulling it all together if this istruly to be 'the department for Every Child Matters'.
