Nursery World - Editor's view - the end of the DCSF

The rebranding of the department overseeing early years is sending worrying signals

After the election, it's the end of the rainbow! Out goes the Department for Children, Schools and Families, with its multi-coloured logo and cartoon children; in comes the Department for Education, austere in style and title (see News, page 4).

What's in a name? Well, the signals from this rebranding will set off some alarm bells for those in early years and childcare. New education secretary Michael Gove has already made it clear that he wants the department to refocus on 'its core purpose of supporting teaching and learning'. His first priority is freeing schools from local authority control.

Children's services remains within the department's remit, but can it retain its high profile? Rising LibDem star Sarah Teather has been made Minister for Children and Families; Tory Tim Loughton (formerly shadow spokesman for children, who has made trips to Scandinavia to see its early years services) is junior minister. But there is no place for LibDem Annette Brooke, who was a strong advocate for childcare and nursery education and had built up impressive knowledge.

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