He said, 'I know this has been one of the recent campaign priorities forthe NCB and because child's play is a central part of any happychildhood and essential to learning and development, I've agreed withJames Purnell, Secretary of State at Culture, Media and Sport that wewill take on dual responsibility for child's play.'
Outlining the new department's priorities Mr Balls said it was 'ineffect, the Every Child Matters department'.
Mr Balls made several new policy announcements at the Business DesignCentre in London last week.
His pledge that the Children's Fund, which was to be axed next March,would be extended was met with warm applause.
The fund, which supports early intervention and prevention for childrenand young people at risk of social exclusion, will receive 396mover three years.
Mr Balls stressed he wanted to break down the 'false divide' betweenpolicies to promote educational achievement and well-being, and revealedthat 60m over three years would support schools to work withmental health practitioners to help the ten per cent of childrendiagnosed with mental health problems.
He said, 'I am very keen that we do not get trapped into a silo ofthinking about schools policy, of family policy, of children's policy,that is why - to inform the children's plan - we are putting togethersome expert groups co-chaired with professionals and ministers.'
Director of children's services in Gloucester Jo Davison will co-chairthe group looking at services from 0-7. The group will include expertson youth justice and 14-19 transition. It will focus on earlyintervention in early learning and services for young children.
Sir Alan Steer, head of Seven Kings High School in Ilford will co-chairthe 8-13 group and Jackie Fisher, principal of Newcastle College, willchair the 14-19 group.
Commenting on the speech, Adrian Voce, director of Play England, said,'DCMS has been a good home for children's play, but it would beanomalous for there to be a Secretary of State for Children withoutspecific responsibility for play policy.'
He said he was looking forward to working closely with the DCSF 'toensure that play provision is a more serious part of Every ChildMatters'.
Welcoming the Children's Fund extension, NCB chief executive Paul Ennalssaid, 'This period of reinvigoration is exciting. However, it must notbe seen as yet another funding stream, as NCB's evaluation of someChildren's Fund activity has at times suggested, but rather a chance tobuild on good work to make it even better.'
